The San Francisco call., 1909-11-10
NATIONALS SCENT
FURTHER TROUBLE
Arrest of Private StapIeton for
Refusal to Drill Excites the
Citizen SOIdiery

The arrest of Joseph W. Stapleton, a
private in the Fourth company Of the
California coast artillery under the
authority of that section of the penal
code which makes ii misdemeanor for
any militisman to refuse to appear for
OF the enforcement of this all but for
gotten ruling, but promises to create
a fresh turmoil among the Nationals
the crack companies of the national
guard now resting under the displeas-
ure of Adjutant General Lauck, and
also to involve the English govern
ment in the affair. Stapleton is a ma
tive of Canada, though a citizen of
this country by naturalization, and he
threatens to revoke his American citi-
zenship and appeal to Walter r. Hearn,
consul general from Great Britain, for
protection.
DID NOT EXPECT DRILL
The private, who is employed at the
Winton CARA ge, declares that when he
joined the national guard one year and
a half ago he believed the organiza-
tiOn did no drilling nor parading, but
met now and again only for target
practice When he discovered that drill
work was one of the prominent
features of the body. he refused to turn
out, and September 6, when notified to
appear at Rodeo, Marin county. he alb
solutely refused to do so. First Lieu
tenant Victor L. Sutherland OF 439 Oak
street, acting upon the orders of Cap
tain W. ID. Hyde, commander of the
Fourth company, thereupon secured
the warrant yesterday for Stapleton's
arrest
The Nationals profess to see in the
arrest merely a test case, which their
superiors are instituting in this in
stance only to discover whether or
not the section OF the penal code Will
be upheld in the courts. For the first
and third companies of the nation
guard. known as the Nationals. have
themselves, as a body, declined to ap-
pear for drill and they have suspected
that the calm with which their re-
fusal was received boded storm.
The Nationals, as companies c and
I G of the First Califoria regiment,
served with distinction in the Philip
pines, and up their return home, joined
in maintaining clubrooms at 1850 Eddy
street, their armory. under the title
Of the Nationals. They also maintained
their reputation as one of the smart
est militia organiZa tions in appear
ance in the country, but early this year
when they were transferred from the
infantry TO the coast artillery branch
of the militia service, the presented the
change. and on June IS. 1903. petitioned
Governor Gillett to muster them out
The Response was the formation of a
'benzine board" by Adjutant General
I.auck. and the removal of five officers
who. it was said, had headed the re-
volt.
The refusal to drill that came as an
answer TO the transfer may be followed
now by their arrest If the case against
Stapleton proves that the section is
sound. or at least by the threat of ar
rest under the section
But whether or not this be true the
selection OF Stapleton the man of
whom to make an example seems a
peculiarly unfortunate one, for the
rule with Great Britain is "once a citi-
zen, always a citizen and if the former
Canadian wishes to revoke his Amer
lean citizenship and appeal to the
tional in character, and therefore all
the more appalling to the officers of
the national guard, may result.
Col. c. l. Hewes commander of
the California coast artillery. professed
to be completely surprise dlast night at
the news of the action taken against
StapIeton, and Mai. H. G.. Mathew
son -deplored ii as something that
would prove detrimental to the sery-
1 ice"
Il believe the action to be very
unfortunate" the major said. for it
will have a regretable effect upon en-
/ listments and in many ways injure the
national guard