El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-22
MILITIA CANNOT
BE DEPENDED
On IN WAR
Continued from Page one).

first president, said of the militia. ITO
place any, dependence upon militia is
resting upon a broken staff
So severe has been criticism Of the
militia during every national conflict,
that, as wars have occurred, less and
less dependence has been placed upon
1t, until finally, at the end of every
war, the entire burden has in every
case been borne by regulars and vol
unteers.
The militia organized under the old
laws, and the national guard OF today,
however, are very different, so differ
ent, in fact, that it may not be consid-
cred altogether fair to class them to-
gether.
The principal defect in the old law.
according to army experts is that 1t
divided responsibility. Massachusetts,
Connecticut Vermont, Virginia. North
Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mis-
souri, and Arkansas have through their
governors, refused to turn out the mi
1itfa when called upon by the presi-
dent to do so. Other states have great
~ interefered with the federal gov
eminent in its use of militia, either
by raising objections and obstacles, or
by forcing the service of troops not
desired.
The old law did not require the
president to consult the governors
with reference to turning out the mi
litia He could issue the call direct,
though, as a matter OF courtesy. the
call was made through the governors.
But now it is required by law. There
is no way for the federal government
to coerce the governors, and T. any
governor should refuse or fail to trans
nit a call to the militia Of his state
il is easy to see that. the whole mat
ter of calling out the militia under
the present law would be thrown into
great confusion. Moreover. Under such
conditions. there is no way for the
federal government to punish those
responsible for creating such a condi-
ton when the call for troops Is urgent.
or to punish those who fail to heed
the call To make matters worse the
law requires that the militia be ac-
copied in advance of any volunteers.
Present Method Loose.
with the present loose method"
en- close study to the situation today,
leach separate state could absolutely
control the federal government with
reference to the militia Of that state
After the outbreak of war, or when
war was imminent. any state could re-
organize its militia, change all Of its
officers, increase or decrease the num-
Der or men, discharge or appoint OIL
GERS for political reasons. and then
force the government to take the
troops il offered"
In the event of an unpopular war,
it is probable, according to this off
Ger, that the confusion and difficult
ties of organizing an army Of militia
and volunteers would go far beyond
anything in our previous history.
What the congressman and the army
officials want IS change IN the Dick
law that win give power to the presi-
dent to call out the militia, through the
state governors as courtesy; per-
nit the war department TO reject all
unfit officers, men and organizations
Il need be. and to compel all militia
men, now in the service and receiving
pay for their service under the Dick
law, 10 remain in the service. after
called to arms for period OF not less
than two years