Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-23

tary of War can say5~snd since have been
President. and even when I was assistant
secretary Of the navy, Nhavs/aiways done
all that in me lay to further the interests
of the National Guard.
II have a good many things on hand. but
one OF the things that is interesting me
most at present. Senator Dick. Is the en-
enlargement of rifle practice In the ma
tional Guard. I want to have 1t understood.
gentlemen. that I do not care anything like
as much for how your regiments march ana
perform parade-ground and armory maneu-
yer as care for how they are Instructed
In the work that would make them valuable
as soldiers in time of war. I earnestly hope
that the National Guard, and Mr.. TAFT, the
regular army also. especially the regular
army, will more and MOI e have the kind of
instruction that will make 1t a second ma
ture for the man who marches to march
fully equipped as he would be In time or
war. If he is trained to march that way ne
will not throw away his equipment the first
time he goes to war. otherwise ne Will
do 1t. / want to see the average National
Guardsman know how to shoot well. l want
to see the fund that we have for rife prac-
tice distributed among the several state or
CARNATIONS, partly at least. with reference
to the way in which those state organiza-
lions promote craftsmanship. / want to see
the young fellow who has been through the
National Guard have received training
which will make him able to do his work in
time of war If the need comes
Tendency Of the Times.
I'm a great Industrial civilization such as
ours we may just as we'll face the fact that
there is a constant tendency to do away
with, to eliminate those qualities which
make a man good soldier. 1t should be
the steady object Of every legislator. of
every executive officer, and, above all Of
you gentlemen who have to do with the Ma
tional Guard. to try to encourage those
qualities, to try to counteract the tendency
toward their eliIntna ton
Every officer of the National Guard
should train his men the whole time. as If
he was training them with a view to posi-.
BILE action, so that the men under him will
be trained by him to have those habits Of
body and mind which will render them
formidable as soldiers in the field. You
should s;h try to train your men so they can
know what cover is. SO they will be able
to take advantage of it. so they will know
how to march and march well; and you
should realize the relative Importance Of
what it Is that the men under you learn,
that as war Is carried on nowadays per
cent Of the ordinary work done either on
the parade ground or in the armory, either
by militia regiment or regular regiment,
amounts to nothing whatever In the way of
training except so far as the incidental eff
feet it has in accustoming the men to act
together and to obey; but they are not go
ing to fight shoulder to shoulder when they
get out Into the field. 1t Is absolutely not
of the slightest consequence what their
alignment is. but it Is of vital consequence
that they shall know how to take cover,
how to shoot and how to make themselves
at home under any circumstances.
I'VE have such a small regular army that
you men of the National Guard have upon
you heavy responsibility. l want to say
that while it is incumbent upon you to
take your duties seriously and do them with
all your heart, II you do even that you do
more good to the nation than any equal
body of citizens to be found In our coun-
try"