New-York tribune., 1907-10-04
MANY MILITIA DOCTORS.
AIR VIEWS At HEARING.
National Guard Should Be More
4ttractiUe, They Say.

Varied views as TO the possibility Of making the
militia of the state effective second Inc Oh
defence and of rendering the service less eApei7e
and attractive to the enlisted man We
brought out yesterday at the second nearing Vi ~
Wainwrieht Commission in the armory OF the 'lS'
r,o,i,,a,, The ,,ost important witnesses called
were Major General Phisterer, Colonel Dahle' <NP
pleton and Captain McApin. of the 'th hesi'ie',1' "
The general sentiment seemed 10 preNal uid' III
many instances the enlisted men were put to eA-
penses which might more properly be borne Dy 'ne
state esneciallv In the expenditure of their own
money for ammunition for rife practice ana ran
road fares 10 and from the range. In the la''eI
case tho railroads give a special rate 10 ihe Hlei'
Colonel Appleton also made plea for more "p-
portunities for the men TO parade and display their
uniforms He thought this might get more men
into the national guard, but several other olceIs
thought the real instruction in military Work, Wihe
not so attractive as parading up Fifth avenue
would better force. Several witnesses also
thought the payment of any sum, however small
for attendance drills. etc. would be against the
spirit of the organization. Besides. the payment
Of saw even 25 cents for attendance at drills. would
entail an increase in the cost of and maintenance
of the guard of about S7S.000 year.
General Phisterer asked permission when the ses-
sion opened revise his suggestions made in his
testimony on Wednesday. He said that he thought
il might he well let the armories be used for
other than military purposes. except religious or
political meetings. He favored that their use be
given free He said that should any moneys be
received for their it could be diverted INTO 4
fund to be used for occasions such as n trip out
Of the state. He said it would be against MS con-
ception Of the spirit of the organization to pay
men for attendance at drills it would make the
-suardsmen no more than paid soldiers
Colonel Appleton wanted the life of a guardsman
made more spectacular. AsseInhlyman Wainwright
asked him how the service could be made more at
'tractive
The ordinary state guardsman wants to be
known as real soldier, not tin one. ne re-
piled He should have the opportunity to parade
and show his uniform, and we ought 10 let the peo
pie OF the state know what an excellent organize
g+,on we have The band should play and the colors
should fy and the guard should get chance 10
appear IN its full regalia.
He also advocated more out-of-door work anu
more field sports as well favorng a general
muster day in which the whole force could paraoe
ithe way the New York police do. He favored a
five year term of enlistment rather than me uree
wears advocated by General Phisterer He sald ne
did not think II right TO put the cost OF ainnnun-
,ion for rife practice the men, who had TO De
-estra,ned now from spending too much money
for thst purpose. He and Major Lydecker though.
that each man should have about hve hundre"
rounds cf ammunition year
ran,sn McAlpin also of the 7th Regiment sald
.srba ,oos+ irnportant thing to remember, in my
,n,rion is that the national guardsman is in the
guard from no matter of compulsion- he Is theie
from patriotlc and other reasons Bearing tnis III
mind n the national guard could be developed into
~a7ce much would be accomplished But in recent
wears the guard has developed into sort OF extra
oIioe force and serving such has proved It's
4soier,,, He said his men had only one company
fund raised by the annual dues of $50 from ule
,l;staa men ss going 10 the regiment and sl2 10
she cor,nsnv for rife practice and other expenses
C-antain James Z. Schuyler, Company B. ''h
r7aeroeut thought that all armories should De o"eu
,,rdar one system He was opposed to shortening
,ba torn, of enlistment as he thought that a man
o,oa o,,+ STAYED out He also thought that way
sboulf he devised whereby undesirable man
might be dropped otherwise than by dismissal.
t,antain McAlpin was then recalled, and said that
ne did not think it necessary TO make the men
s1aen on the ground or undergo other more or less
serto1,s hardships to make soldiers of them.
.eyor do not believe then asked Assemblyman
Wainwright that the field work Of the National
Guard should be done under regular army condl-
tons?
We'll now that is different Captain McAlpln
replied II think that if It is possible to have
rermanent camp then have a permanent camp. II
1,ou want 20 teach the TO cook, teach them 10
cook If vou want them bivouac, teach them to
bivo1jsc; but you gain nothing by trying to teach
them 10 bivouac or 10 cook in the open. do not
believe IN trying to teach the guardsmen under
hardships 10 do that which they not ac-
customed ] think this is Of the things which
has kept men from enlsting. Men willing to
come forward on such occasions as the Croton dam
and the Buffalo strikes. but they are not willing to
undergo unnecessary hardships when the occasion
does demand
Another session will be held to-day in this city,
and on Monday probably the sittings will begin at
T2uffa