Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-28
CONVENTION OF
GRAVE IMPORT
TO THE NATION
GUARDSMEN IN SESSION HERE
WELCOMED BY GOVERNOR
PENNSYLVANIA BRlGADlER IN
CHAIR AT OPENING MEETING
Most important Labor of Year Said
to Be That of Putting Militia
on Equal Footing with
the Army

In view of the growing public sem
timent in favor of a small and com
pact standing army and very large
and uniformly organized state militia
for use in time Of need, the conven-
ton being held this week at Hotel
Alexandria is of vital importance 10
the future of the nation.
1t is the annual conclave of the Ma
tional Guard association OF the Unlted
States and among the delegates pres
ent are the men who would command
the greater part of the hghting force
OF the country. Twenty-seyen states
are represented and there is not man
in all the list of those attending VINO
holds a rank lower than that OF lieu
tenant.
Governor Gillett came to Los An
geles to welcome the delegates at their
morning session yesterday in the ban
quet room at Hotel Alexandra. The
chief executive of the state made them
at home in cordial and hearty
speech. He referred particularly to
the Importance of the National Guard
and the growing interest the army and
the federal government generally is
taking in the affairs of the guards
men.
General Stewart in Chair
Brgadier General Thomas J. Stewart
of Pennsylvania, vice president, pre-
sided in the absence of Senator Dick
of Ohio, who is the chief othcer OF |
the association. He made a brief re-
ply to Governor Gillett and then called
the meeting to order for business.
The first report of the session was
that made by Brigadier General James
A. Drain of washington, chairman OF
the executive committee This report |
referred to the work of the past year |
the most important item accomplished |
being the Iabors of the committee in
support of the recently enacted fed |
eral statute placing the militia on the
same footing as the regular army in
time of war and giving it the same
equipment.
The report went on to say the Ma
tional Guard of the country had been
increased in the yea" past by the ad- /
dition of 5000 men. General Drain
commented on this fact and added:
Really Part of Army
But far beyond any increase in |
numbers he continued, more impor- |
tant than an addition of many hum
dred per cent in numerical strength, is .
the gain in vital force through the /
feeling that the national guard Is now
and forever part and parcel, one and (
indivisible, with the regular army as
part of the first line for war"
A matter of still greater import to |
the country possibly is that recon- |
mended by the committees report IN
the following:
"That this association, in conven-
tfon, declare itself in terms as definite
as it may be able to agree upon, in
favor of a military policy for the
limited States, with a view to securing |
an early consideration of this matter
by congress.
"It is recommended more for the |
sake of discussion and debate imam |
otherwise, that congress be asked 10 |
create a commission TO formulate a /
military policy for the nation; such
commission might be composed OF |
three senator's three representatives, !
including the chairman Of the senate
and house military committees; three
officers of the army, three officers OF |
the navy and marine corps and three |
officers Of the national guard.
"Doubtless we all recognize in |
greater or less degree the lack If in |
telligent preparation by this nation Tor |
the Inevitable war-born responsibilities |
of national defense"
Another important recommendation |
of the report was the following
"There should be a law in every |
state providing for a reserve for the |
national guard. Men should be held
to service or held liable to be returned |
to service in the event of war, Tor az
least five years after their discharges.
The report was adopted Immediately |
and an order was issued for printing
II fol- distribution among members Of
the guard all over the country.
The ranking regular army officer
who is present at the convention Is
Lieutenant Colonel Z. M. Weaver
member of the general staff of the
TEToeI,fvot1V Q
He is detailed as chief Of the depart
ment of militia affairs and his paper
dealt with the relation between the
two and the place Of the national
guard in time of war.
In the afternoon the delegates went
in a body to San Pedro, where they
were shown the harbor In the even
ing they were taken to Long Beach
and given a banquet at Hotel Virginia
Many Delegates Present
Delegates present include:
Alabama-Gen. Bibb Graves, adju-
tant general.
California-Gen J. B. Lauck, adju-
tant general; Brig. Gen. Robert Wan
kowsl1i; Col. A. w. Bradbury assist
ant adjutant general; Col. D. A. Smith,
Col. w. G. Schreiber, Lieut.. Col. S. M.
Saltmarsh and Captain Slotterbeck,
company A, signal corps.
Colorado-Brig. Gen. John Chase, ad-
iutant general; Major A. H Williams
District of Columbia-Lieut. Col S.
e. Smiley, adjutant general, and Lieut.
Col Glendie B. Young.
Florida-Maj, Gen. J. Clifford r. Fos-
ter.
Iowa-Brig. Gen. Joseph Rush Lin
coin. Col. Ernest r. Bennett and Col
Herbert A. Allen.
Illinois-Brig. Gen. Edward M. Kit
telson. Col. John R. Marshall, Col
Daniel Moriarity, Col. John ]. Garrity,
Lieut.. Col. James M. Eddy, Lieut.. Col.
Taylor r. Brown, Major William H
Chenoweth, Major Franc Bacon, Major
Charles Alsip. Capt. William Keanser,
Capt. A. V. Smith, Capt. C. P. Sum-
rners and Chaplain Edward A. Kelly.
Kansas-Gen. c. l. Martin, adjutant
general; Brig. Gen. Charles p. Drew,
Col P. NJ Hoislngton, Col. Wilder S,
Metcaif and Capt. o. p. Beezley.
Minnesota-Major George c. Lambert
and Capt Edward G. Falk.
Missouri-Brig. Gen. F. M. Rumbald,
col. Cecil Lechtman, Col. William A.
Raupp and Lieut.. V. M. Porter.
AIassachusetts-Ma Gen. William
Maine-Brig Gen. Elliott c. Dill, ad-
1utant general. and Capt. John J. Doo-
lev. chief of ordnance.
Maryland-Col. Charles D. Gather,
adjutant general. and Col Harry M.
Hutton.
Michigan-Brig. Gen. William T. Nc
Gurrin. adjutant general.
Nebras aska-Gen. j. C. Hartigan. adj
jutant general, and Gen. Joseph A.
Storch.