The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-03
hILITI AhEN HOWL
FOR FEDERAL PIE
Ask for Extension of Time
to Make Good as
Soldiers.

The governors, adjutants general, the
sltteTing and bespangled colonies and
multitudlnOus aides on the STATS of the
governors, and national guard officers
and enlisted men by the thousand. in
about three-touTths of the States are
in tumult of excitement lest the
money that Uncle Sam has been paying
them under the Dick law be cut OF.
They are turning loose on Congress
with all tho most modern magazine
armament of repeating typewriters at
their command and bombarding it with
letters-whOle vOlleys OF them. Unless
the lawmakers at the Capitol come TO
their relief by January u, they will set
no money from the Treasury Depart
ment 70 help defray the expenses Of
national guard equipment.
Five Years to Make Good.
The Dick law was passed five years
ago 1t was approved January q. 1893.
The organized militia of the different
States was allowed five years wherein
to conform TO the standard OF the regu-
lar army. About a fourth of the States
have managed TO reach the prescribed
standard. IN some Of the other States
Improvement has been effected, but the
guard is still below tho regular army
standard in organization or armament,
-cp discipline, or all three of these spec
iflCatiOns. in about thFee-fOuTths OF the
States.
January q is the last chance of States
that have not complied with the law
and brought the national guard up TO
gross extends the time for con
IOrmity TO regular army standards
under the Dick law. about three-fOurths
of the States, accordingly, will be cut
fund which IS now being annually dis
tributed to the national guard This
allows an average Of about $4,000 to
each State.
Move for Extension.
Senator. Dick introduced in the Senate
before the holidays a joint resolution to
extend the time for conformity two
years. The Senate passed this Decem-
Der II. but the House has not been in
a hurry about It,
Some of the members of the House
Militia Committee refused to get excited.
They said that the States had had FIVE
years in which to come UP TO regular
army standard and most of them had
CO., done II. and they ought to be al
lowed to sweat awhile. Consequently,
the House adjourned without taking any
action. Since then governors and
guardsmeE in the States that are In
danger of losing the Federal aid have
been flooding Congress with appeals for
help.
Some of the members of the Militia
Committee of the House. Furthermore.
have taken the position that the quick
est way TO make the guard in all the
States conform 10 the regular army
standard would be to cut off Federal
aid until they came up 10 the required
standard
IL is likely that when the House meets
again after the recess 10 will vote 20
extend the time, as the Senate did, for
two years. or until January p, 1910 So
many States are interested that the
House will be unwilling to refuse 70
pass the resolution. If ii should no.
many guard organizations viii have to
90 in rags and eat bareback and endure
all the poverty of war in a time Of
profound peace.
The guard Of the District Of Columbia,
along with that Of the States will be
given two years more TO conform to
the regular army standard If the joint
resolution passes. However. the Dis
trict guard has reached so high a stand
ard that il would not be seriously af-
fected II the extension were not granted