New-York tribune., 1910-06-26
SOLDIERS DISPUTE MAYOR
Many Deny Majority of Guards
men Want to Parade.
BALK AT "SHOW" MARCHING
Declare Gaynor Is Ignorant of
EXacting Duties Of Their
Regular Schedule.

Mayor Gaynor's assertion, in his letter TO
Commander Russell Raynor. Of the naval
militia, that the majority Of the national
guard and naval militia was ready and
anxious TO join in the celebration on Inde~
pendence Day, met with contradiction yes
terday from numerous guardsmen, officers
and friends OF the citizen sodiery.
IF the Mayor would get acquainted with
our schedule and learn at first hand just
what is asked of in the regular course
of events. he would not be SO ready to re-
quest additional service" was the most fire.
quent and the midest complaint.
Officers in the list, the 23d in Brooklyn.
the 69th, 18th and I'd regiments, each of
which has a ten days camp detail at near
by forts on its summer schedule, and the
18th, which returned last Sunday from
similar tour of duty at Fort Wright. were
not slow to criticise the spirit which, as
they said. would make play-toy for
show purposes out of the guard"
Colonel William c. Church, editor of The
Army and Navy Journal declared that
Mayor Gaynor was dealing with the matter
as i he thought the national guard was
still the same organization that it was in
his youth.
But It is a very different proposition now
to what it was a few years ago. said Colo
mel Church. These men would parade,
and do it cheerfully, but it is an imposition
tc ask them to co it The Mayor says he
hasn't heard them complain OF course, he
hasn't and he won't. They'd be court mar
tailed If they did. but that Is not the point.
The whole thing in a nutshell Is simply
this: The national guard is our Sec
ondary line of defence, a military organiZa-
ton which is subject to the orders Of the
President in time of need, and this parade
not only does not advance its efficiency
in any way, but uses up both time and
money that should so toward making the
members better soldiers"
Exact figures on the financial phase Of
the question were given by an officer in the
guard. who said that it would cost each
regiment $500 for music in the parade, and
each mounted officer would have to pay out
s. for horse hire
The music fee would be taken out Of the
regimental allowance given by the state.
fund which is supposed to be used for the
purpose of furthering the fighting efficiency
of the guard, and the horse hire was q per-
sonal matter with each officer. He must
furnish that out of his own pocket.
And look at that said one guardsman
yesterday: leach officer is 10 contribute SIS
TO this parade, when the committee is hav
ing all kinds of trouble in getting even our
affiuent citizens to come through with
their contributions"
Colonel Church declared that the parade
was of no value whatever in a military
sense. THE men don't. learn anything by
marching over city Streets he said, "and
the officers do not learn anything by lead
ing their men over the pavements. The
national guard is not a parade organiza-
! ton. and it is high time that some people
learned that fact, and learned also what
few of the duties are that we require from
our guardsmen. who give their services
without pay
Every one knows about the drill, but
every one doesn't know, apparently, that
we ask them also 10 serve ten days in G
year in camp or fort, several half days Of
outdoor drill, besides two days Of rife prac-
tice Just count that up. and you'll find
that our guardsmen use up the ordinary two
weeks of vacation they get from their regI-
| lar employment in learning soldiery. and,
more than that, have TO take few days on
their own time to do all the work they are
called on 10 do in the course of summer.
| This Independence Day many Of them were
facing the first real vacation they have had
| in years three days OF freedom, when this
order ended st.
1.-The Tribune's crusade is a good thing.
and even II II should not result IN having
the order rescinded 1t will surely call at
tention to the fact that our national guard
| is not a mere parade organization, TO be
/ called out any time to make holiday spec
| tacle.'
Colonel Church was of the opinion that
such inpositions would haze q tremendous
J effect upon tie recruiting OF the national