The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-07-06

cuecKS. One OF tneSe Is based upon
the express declaration of the federal
constitution, Preserving to the states
respectively the appointment Of the
! officers and the training Of the militia
| according to the discipline prescribed
by congress-" This check applies only
until war is declared and troops are
called out by the president.
Militia Retains Civil Rights.
AS prescribed by congress the disci-
pine of the militia is that of the regu-
lar army, but may in time Of peace
be enforced by the war department
only through state authority and state
officers.
In addition, except during war or an
insurrection, the members of the ma
tional guard retain their civil rights;
| hence, says one writer on the subject,
while they are being nationalized all
is polite and pleasing. They are con-
sldered as members Of the freshman
class in a great university of war, the
faculty Of which is in Washington"
Among the methods already put into
operation for converting the national
guard as far as the constitution per-
m1ts into an arm Of the regular army
are interstate maneuvers, federal pay
for militiamen during encampment,
! correspondence schools in military tao
| tics OF volunteer officers and super
vision Of drills by West Point strate-
gists.
Under the acts Of the Roosevelt re-
gime the members of the national
guard, when on duty in camps or en-
gagged in military exercises under con-
troll of the war department, are en-
titled to the pay Of regular soldiers.
A division of military affairs was Gre
| ated in the war department in 1908.
Cooperating with the secretary of
war and the general staff, this division
| controls the discipline and training Of
the national guard in each state.
The adjutant general Of each state
is theoretically an adjutant general in
the United States army.
Laws were drafted for Introduction
In the state legislatures repeating the
main provisions of the congressional
enactments on the subject, and board
of state adjutant generals was ap-
pointed to act with the war depart
ment.
Official communications assert that
war can today be prosecuted success
fully only after a long and regular
training in the science Of armed con-
fict Some Of the more advanced mill
tary scientists hold that this education
should begin in childhood. Major Gen-
eral Leonard Wood, head Of the army,
advocated in st. Louis recently military
drill beginning at the age Of thirteen
years in the public schools and rifle
ranges for the instruction Of high
school students in accurate marksman-
ship.
The war department is providing
rifle ranges for the national guards
men. They are inspected regularly by
officers of the United States army.
They draw uniforms, arms and equip
ments from the national government
and in time of maneuvers in interstate
camps receive the pay of regular
troops from the war department.
Exists Only on Paper.
Each state is urged to assemble it's
militia once a year within its own ter
ritory for instruction in the "war
game" as taught by the leading mill
tary experts Of the world, especially
In Germany. It Is planned to hold
Interstate maneuvers every other year,
both in the east and west, and to have
regular troops participate side by side
with the militia.
Despite the new allurements for
service in the national guard, there has
been no notable increase Of enlist
ment, at least in the southern and
western states.
Kansas and Oklahoma have fewer
than 1000 organized militiamen each,
Missouri and Texas have between
1900 and 5000 each, and Georgia, Iowa
and Virginia have each between 1900
and 5000 guardsmen.
The advocates Of peace may find a
certain consolation in the fact that the
reserve militia of almost 100000
men exists as yet only on paper and
will in all present probability come
into actual being on1v IN tho ovon+ NJ