Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-29

I and ii is becoming higher every year
The standard is growing higher becaus.
| the training of the men proceeds syste
matically and a more serious class of re
| cruits is enlisted, because it is imperative
| that officers have some comprehension
Of their duties and responsibility, and be
| cause the guard gets further away II
point of time from the tin soldier period
| when hops and pretty drills were its les
of soldiership.
The War Department and the regular
army are treating the National Guard
as business proposition of tremendous
possibilities. 1t has been a complex
question to the regulars, and in the course
of reorganization and reform many blows
have been dealt to the conceit OF guards
men. But this has been for the good OF
the guard and the good of the republic
There is one way in which the civilian
who IS an employer of men may serve
his country well He can encourage the
guard and promote its effectiveness by
granting military leave of absence to
those of his men who are in the guard.
These men give generously of their own
time. Their drill assembly is at least
one evening or one afternoon each week.
There are also schools for non-commis-
stoned officers and selected privates which
are to be attended. If the record Of a
man is bad-and the record of each man
is carefully kept-that man is court-mar-
tailed, fined or discharged without honor.
or perhaps dishonorably discharged. A
dishonorable discharge from the guard
is a penalty which no guardsman trif1es
with under existing conditions. But when
a soldier is ordered for military duty by
his commanding officer the employer
should let him obey that order. He should
release that man from his civil work,
and do it not with a scowl but with a
smile The officer issuing that order is
performing a public duty. He wears his
shoulder straps not because he is good
fellow in his command. as In the olden
days but because he has conformed to
certain requirements. passed certain ex-
aminations prescribed by his superiors,
and his commission has been issued to
him by the President of the United States.
He is accountable to his superior officers
for the state of fitness of his command.
Employers should encourage their guards
men employees. 1t is fair, on the other
hand. for employers to ask of their
guardsmen employees the longest possible
advance notice that they are to be or
dered out. The annual maneuvers of two
weeks, the tour of duty on the rifle range
and the infrequent parades cover about
all the military leave required.
In this connection a difficult question
sometimes arises. Large employers of
men. especially in Washington. are friends
of the guard. They are wise enough to
know that it is a useful organization. How
ever, they may have subalterns, foremen,
chiefs of departments. and the like, who
are hostile to the guard. There are some
public-spirited employers in the city who
would be astounded. it is said, at the at
titude assumed toward the guard by a
few of their subordinates 1t would be a
good thing if employers of a large num-
Der of men would make known to their
heads of department, or foremen, their
views on the National Guard.