The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-12-03
ARMY OFFICER
DISCUSSES!ARMY
CAPTAIN FOLEY AND SERGEANT
sHEEDY DISCUSS CONDITIONS
OF ARMY AND MA
TIONAL GUARD.

The work being done by the Hough-
ton company OF the Michigan Nation
al Guard in wall scaling, regular
drills and Butts' manual work, in
spired an expression in regard TO the
present condition of the regular ar
my OF the United states and the Ma
tional Guard. and the preparcdness of
the country for war with a foreign ma
ton from Sergeant Sheedy, l.. :. ~,
yesterday afternoon. Sergeant Sheety
is an experienced soldier and is in
structing the Calumet Engineers and
the Iougihton Infantry in army prac-
tice. He has been i'm close touch with
the condition of the army I'm all parts
OF the United States and has studied
the problem from all sides. Sergeant
Sheedy stated that the Calumet and
HOughton companies were among the
best In the state at the present time
and that the attendance az the drills
is better than any other place where
ne has worked.
What we need is a regular army
and a better trained National Guard,
continued Sergeant Shedy. There is
no reason whatever why the warming
of Mai Leonard Wood. chief of staff
should be disregarded. General Wood
urges the creation of a reserve of
200. 600 men who have served I'm the
regular army of militia and would
have Congress pass the pending DILL
Tor raising volunteer army in time
OF war. Americans have always
boosted OF the number Of men that
can be turned out i'm time of impend-
ing war and 1t is a fact 10 be noted
with hurrahs, but the horde OF men
who so volunteer their services could
not he trained before a number of
months were spent ON them"
Sergeant Sheedy stated that the
present strength of the National
Guard is about 115,O0O and that of
the army I'm active service 1890 men,
a total Of 1g3,700. In case OF war the
National Guard and the regulars
would Zoe called out and would act as
one. being mixed together i'm the pro-
portion OF about two 70 one. These
men would be necessary I'm the field
and no one would be left To train the
raw recruits. The important shortage
is in field artillery; If the regular az
my and organized militia were called
10 arms today there would be a short
age of so per cent in the Held artillery
necessary 10 equip them. And in the
event Of war this shortage would he
increased UNNECESSARILY by additions
10 the rank and file OF thousands OF
soldiers who would be OF little use un-
Ill additional equipment was provided.
Several remedies have been ad-
vanced for this condition of affairs n
reference to the regular army. but the
National Guard is a very important
branch Of the defense Of the country
and Sergeant Sheedy went on TO tell
Of things being done TO raise The
standard of efficiency and the num-
Der I'm this organization. All over the
country the National Guard Is clam
oring for higher pay and are being
backed by public opinion. The dill at
present pending before Congress calls
for a conn ensation OF about 81 for
each drill that is attended by the
members OF the organization. Here
tofore the compensation of each SOL
der has been 20 cents for each drin
and absence from drill would i'm
pose a fine Of 20 cents upon him so
that in case ne should be absent half
OF the drill nights he would get no pay
and should ne be absent more than
that number Of evenings, he would
have TO pay money into the Golfers Of
the United States. Soldiers have not
been willing To work for this amount
and do not care about an absence of
a few nights because OF the smalness
m the amount As a result the at
tendance throughout the country I'm
the National Guard has been irregu-
lar. The raising of the pay would
bring many into the service and the
officers could then enforce stricter dis
Cipline. Sergeant Sheedy Is certain
that the pay for the National Guard
viii be increased and that a bill pro-
viding for this increase will be pass
ed at the next session of Congress.
Another proposal before Congress at
the present time is 70 exempt all
members OF the National Guard from
serving I'm case of strikes. The dread
entertained by most people Of being
called upon 10 shoot upon their own
friends, has kept n large number from
joining the Guard. As a substitute
for this service, a constabulary for
each state Is proposed to handle
strikes and internal troubles
Captain Foley is Of the opinion that
I'm order 10 prepare for war more cf-
hcienty military training in all
schools and colleges Doe made ubliea-
tory He even iutimatss that the boys
In HOughton high school could just
as easily be trained by an officer at
the school as at the armOry. This
could DE done at all colleges and
should be made a part of the nccos-
sary credits 10 graduation. The Unit
ID States would then have an army Of
men 10 pick from 10 train raw recruits
in time Of war.