Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-22
TO TRAIN MILITIA
Convention of interstate Ma
tionaI Guard Association.
TAFT MAKES AN ADDRESS
Assures Citizen Soldiers of Admins
tration's Support.
WELCOMED By GEN. HARRIES
Reports Of Officers Read and Com
mittees Appointed to Call on the
President Today.

Officers of every grade representing the
National Guard In all sections OF the Union
gathered this morning at II o'clock in the
Arlington Hotel in attendance on the open
ing session Of the annual convention of
| the Interstate National Guard Association.
The meeting was called to order by the
president Of the organization, Major Gen.
Charles Dick OF Ohio. The rsu call. which
was the first business of the morning,
| showed that twenty-eight states and terri
tories were represented. and that Pennsyl-
vania, with twenty representatives, had
the largest delegation. There were three
delegates from the District of Columbia
Following are the states represented:
Arkansas. California. Colorado, Connecti-
cut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
Kansas. Kentucky. Maryland. Massachu-
sets. Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey.
New York. North Carolina Ohio. Oregon.
Pennsylvania. South Carolina. South Da-
kota, Texas, Vermont. West Virginia, Wis
consin and Washington and the District of
Columbia and Oklahoma territory.
Ovation for Taft.
The association was IN the midst of rou-
tine business when Secretary Of War Taft
arrived. At the announcement by the SER
geant-at-arms of his arrival there was
demonstration. AS the Secretary proceeded
up the main aisle to the platform the whole
asseGnblage arose and cheered Justify. The
| delegates remained standing until Secre-
tary Taft had been seated.
Gen. Dick. in brief speech. presented the
| visitor who expressed his pleasure in meet
| ing and welcoming the members Of the as
ISOLATION.
ut goes without saying that the United
! States army proper. as now constituted, is
| nothing but skeleton upon which is to he
| placed the flesh of the National GIaI d.
| Secretary.
| He said that for that reason it was en-
| inently proper for Congress to take ac-
| ton in making effective the whole fight
| ing force of the country by specific and
| adequate attention to the National Guard
| He decried the idea that a volunteer can
| be turned into practiced soldier in
] week. This opinion, he said, had been
| fostered by the great efficiency of the
| volunteer army of the United States at
| the close of the civil war, but this, he
| said, should not deter action in support
| of the National Guard in the matter of
| better equipments and provisions. He ad-
vocated the holding OF summer camps
| with the regular troops and the volun-
| teer army acting in unison He assured
I his hearers of the great interest felt by
| the President and himself in the militia.
! What we wish to do he said IN con-
| clusion, SIS to make the army as it is the
| basis or a larger army.
| Gen. divers Address
/ Soon after delivering his speech, which
| was roundly -cheered, Secretary Taft de-
parted, explaining that his official duties
| required his presence elsewhere. Gen. Rob-
| ert Shaw Oliver, assistant secretary of war,
| followed with brief talk, in which he
welcomed the members of the association
/ and told them that they could get what
| they wanted that was proper If they would
| only stick together and work in the right
way. He addressed his hearers as fellow
| guardsmen,' saying that he was still a
| member of the National Guard.
! Gen George H. Harries of the District of
| Columbia National Guard was presented
| and made brief address welcoming the
| association in behalf of the District troops.
| He said he believed the convention would
prove of the highest advantage to the
| cause of the National Guard, and declared
/ that the assemblage of the guardsmen In
| Washington was source of great pleasure
| and profit to the District of Columbia or
| ganization.
Cen Dick briefly responded to the well
| come of the Secretary of War, the assist
| ant secretary and Gen. Harries
He said that all were ready to testify to
| the support and encouragement received by
| the National Guard from the administration
| in general and the War Department in
particular.
| 1.-The legislation we are asking for" he
| said, lis to justify the confidence of the
country in her citizen soldiery."
| Safeguards of Peace.
"To be armed. equipped and ready for
! war is the surest safeguard of peace" he
! said In refuting the idea that the move
| ment for charging and extending the pow
| er and efficiency of the National Guard was
| part of scheme for enbarking the country
| on a policy of military aggrandizement.
| He said 1t was a matter OF congra tulation
| that the National Guard had been recog-
| nized, both by. the government and the
/ people as an integral and necessary part OF
/ the national army.
| Some reports had been under considera-
| ton at the time of thu arrival Of Secretary
| Taft and they were Later taken up.
| Reports of Officers.
The report of the secretary. Col. Carroll
D. Evans of Columbus, Neb., was heard
| and received. The report of the treasurer,
| Gen. John D. Frost of Columbia S. c., was
/ announced to be incomplete at the time, and
the reading of 1t was deferred. The secre-
| tary read report from the executive COM
mittee in regard to furthering national
| legislation on several matters pertaining to
| the welfare Of the National Guard. Refer
enee was made to the bills now before
| Congress for the appropriation of 81, 600 900
| IoT SUCH PurpcscS, anu the opinion was eX-
pressed that the national government
should be willing to give liberal financial
| aid, especially In view of the generous at
| titude OF state legislatures in such ma alters
| 1t was recommended that each state delega-
| ton should seek out the senators and repre-
sentatiyes of their respective states at con-
venient times during the present session of
| the association for the purpose of secur-
ing their interest and support.
Appointment of Committees.
In order to expedite the work of the
association in the interest of legislation.
national and state. 1t was recommended