Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-13
THE NEW NATIONAL GUARD.


the army itself. Many of the leading
army Officers are strong In their dec
larations that the army is large enough
.es It is now Many of them favor a
reduction In numbers with the end In
view of making the United States first
line of defense without an equal in the
world. though smaller in numbers AS
corolary to the general propositions.
either ono of them, the military experts
OF the nation declare that the second
line OF defense must be made strong;
that It must be composed of able
bodied men, men we'll trained for the
profession OF arms; that it must be
large reserve force.
Tho passage in the House OF Repre-
sentatives on Monday OF the army ap-
propriation bill, bill providing $685.
200.G 900 for the years military expendl-
lures. with its passage in the Senate
assured. there Is a strong argument
from the standpoint of economy for.
not a larger standing army, but Il
smaller force If possible. This amount
is to provide for a personnel that will
not exceed $4,000 fighting men and the
expenses of the coast defense and ad-
. ministration. To provide for 125.000
men in the organized militia. popularl-
known as the national guard, the fed
eral government yearly appropriateS
$1,000, 900. This is to arm and equip
this force, to provide for its target
practise and meet the expenses Incl
dent to its camps of instruction
Aside from all questions OF financial
economy. there is that propaganda
founded upon the highest sentiment
the movement for lasting information
al peace-a movement seeking the con-
sent OF all people to abide by the d.
vine command, Thou shalt not kill"
That this movement, and rightfully. is
to WELD a powerful influence upon the
nations OF the earth is everywhere
conceded. Within the army there are
those who have been through the tur-
MOL and horror of the bloodsoaked
battlefield. Those men do not hope
for another war The men OF the army,
though 1t may be hard for those out
side it to realize, are the strongest sup
porters of a policy OF peace. Those
men know the cost in lives of every
conflict and by the perfection of their
profession they are seeking to main
tain the peace that Is best for the ma
ton.
Crying out for war, there are al
ways active in every nation cllques OF
v-h Uh
are to be found snugly tucked away
in the comfortable rcccsses of easy
chairs commenting upon the mistakes
being made In the conduct of the con-
flict by those who responded to the call
and went forth to the battlefield TO
do their share OF defending their coun-
try against It's enemies. or this type
is the man who cries out for the strife
of the sword and cannon.
There is another type. not the alarm
list, not the professional soldier. This
is the guardsman. What of the ma
tional guard?
Within the last six years. since the
passage OF the Dick bill in 1903, the
eyes of the nation have been turned TO
this soldier. He is a patriot. indeed,
and the nation is doing its full share
to support him: the rest remains for
the state and the cities to do. Striving
without pay to become an efficient SOL
der. the guardsman may be found week
after week in his armory drilling with
his comrades and in the summer on
the target range learning TO shoot. His
officers are mon who have climbed
from the ranks themselves, who appre-
ciate the hard roads the recruit has TO
traveI-all are eager to learn the game
and to play IL we'll Every floating
straw is graspcd for. every apprecia-
tive word is good to hear. But the good
words are so seldom heard.
That the guardsman Is not appre-
ciated must surely be because so little
is known about him and his work The
organized militia is now the nrst re-
serve force of the regular army. When
the army is ordered to take the field,
the surdsman will answer that call, too,
and go with his better trained profes-
sional soldier. marching shoulder 20
shoulder with him and being expected
10 know as much about martial life as
the man who has made II his business
TO learn 1t all. After the organized
militia is called. then the volunteer
army Is to be formed. Before the pas
sage of the Dick bill the volunteer was
called first after the regular army, and
then second volunteer army and, per-
maps, the national guard later II
nus; be borne In mind that this volun-
tecr army. no matter how patriotic, was
formed Of mon who, for the most part,
were uninstructcd; who, because OF
tnis, hlled the hospitals in the terri
tory OF war instead of being available
when most needed on the field of bat
tie. The men OF the national guard al
their camps of instruction and thef,
manerver camps are trained to nee
every contingency of war and TO harder
themselves against its trials and to pre-.
pare themselves for all the demands ot
conflict. Foremost OF all training the,
receive Is such training as will insur,
tne'r sound health, add to their re-
sourcefulness. train them to ride well
10 shoot, to endure long marches. I,
supsist on the camp fare-in short 4
mako good soldiers IL they are eve
needed as such
AND all the time. these nationa
Srardsmen are tho men vho ara p,uJ