The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-02-07
WHO HAS
THE BIG CROUCH
National Guard Headquarters Is
Disturbed by Criticism of
"Private."
tFrom saturdav,s Adrertlser.l

SO think the officers of the organiza-
tion and most Of the enlisted men. Al
SO the regular army non-commissioned
officers who are detached for duty at
the headquarters Of the national guard.
The letter which was written to The
Advertiser yesterday by "Private"
resulted in the digging up of the record
books for the year 3 work to see what
grounds that individual had for his
statements to the effect that the shoot
ing gallery of the guard was never
used; that the on-commissioned regu-
lar army officers drew pay and did
nothing; that there were no regimental
drills; and few osler unkind cuts.
In speaking on the appointment of
Sergeant Fred Bancroft, of the regular
infantry, who has been detailed by the
war department to drill and school off.
GERS and men, to a clerical position on
the national guard staff, Colonel Jones
stated yesterday;
Plenty of Work.
THE records upon examination show
that the nome commissioned officer de-
tailed by the war department for duty
with the National Guard of Hawaii,
has we'll employed his time. Unq1es-
/ tionabiy the work performed covers a
considerable range and is evidence that
great deal of work has been per-
formed during every month of the year
1910, and the month of January, 1911,
in instructing companies and non-com-
missioned officers of the national guard,
almost all of the work being performed
at night.
''The war department in its instruc-
tions, recognizing the fact that such
instruction must be at night, says that
in the day time such non-commissioned
officers will have little to do and the
department desires that the time of
these men, during the day as well as
during the evenings, shall be fully en-
ployed. Therefore that 'it is desirable
that officers of the militia under whom
non-commissioned officers are working
shall be permitted to make arrange
ments with such on-commissioned Off
GERS as to the employment of their
time, such employment in all cases to
be the result of a personal agreement
between the non commissioned officer
and the military authorities Of the
State or Terrisory' as to compensation.
"For those reasons Sergeant Fred
S. Bancroft, the non-commissioned Off
Ger referred to, is employed during the
day time on records of enlistment and
discharge and other matters of record
in the adjutant-general's office, receiv.
ing compensation of $40 month. I"
Record of Drills.
The record kept by Sergeant Ban
croft of his work, which must be sub
mitted to the war department quarter
ly, was brought out yesterday, and
showed an average of four or five COM
pany drills a month, at which he attend
ed and drilled officers and men; as many
''schools" for commissioned and non
commissioned officers, where the work
of the officer is exemplifed and illus.
trated, of ten or twelve successive days
of target practise in the shooting sea-
son, and about five or ten afternoons
and evenings week when squads were
trained at the subtarget gun at the
headquarters in the Bungalow.
Training marches and camps are also
down in the record, where the nationa
guard men were given praeticalinstruc
tion in sleeping in five-fOot blanket
without getting their toes wet, ant
more serious matters relating to mill
tary camp life.
The "Private IS" plant concerning
the appointment of a sergeant of th'
Fifth Cavalry to the clerical position o
the staff is answered by the collectiv
staff with some heat. From the record
: it appears that, after the previous occu
pant resigned, the position was he'll
open for fifteen days while the captain
of the various companies were notitie
! to instruct all their unemployed me
who were experienced enough to fill tn
!, position to make an application.
= Applications Made.
Three applications were made, one Q
which was verbal and afterwards witt
/ drawn. The second application wa
! from a man whose brother, an office
|, in the national guard himself, came u
to headquarters and advised agains
the application Is acceptance, as hi
+ brother was not experienced enough.
The third application was from Sc
a geant Walsh, who now holds the pos
! tion, and who is ON furlough from h
= regiment. At the time it was made b
] was told that it was not permanen
!. as it could not be made such unle'
| ne WAS u Va 1no So
A The general orders show that fly
! regimental drills were called during I'll
! year, whereas "Private" says thel
\ were none.
The reference to the shooting CALLER
being closed nine months has mo-
truth. as target practise, except at II
subtarget gun (Which is frequently
only conducted in the spring.
Lack Of an Armory.
r The criticisms Of Major Dunnin
| who inspected the national guard la
! year, were brought out and the harde
crack he gave il was directed at Il
lack Of an armory. Concerning thi
/. Major Dunning said:
!, "The armory, socalled, is deaeier
Il easy to barglarize, or destroy by fiji
D. It is commonly called the drill she
10 which best describes it. II is di
!. grace 70 the Territory that il does N
& provide suitable accommodations, bot
4. for attraction OF men who receive
a. return for service and such as will pr
vide suitable security for large quani
n ties Of arms and munitions Of war ~
n. l Iaa,trIofurn aaautr aafarFtiuoa "a ro