The Washington times., 1911-05-31
SEES NECESSITY OF
FEDERAL AID FOR
NATIONAL GUARD
inspector General of Con-
necticut Tells of Re-
3. quirements.

An intimate view Of the Nationa
Guard is presented in a letter writer
TO Major John Q. Tilson, Representative
at Large from Connecticut, by Col
Edward Schulze, inspector general, C,
N. G.
Colonel Schulze predicts that it will
be necessary for the Federal Govern
nlent to provide some relief If the Ma
uonal Guard is to be preserved. "Ev-
cry National Guard officer" says Colo
mel Schulze, mo matter from what
State, will tell you that since the pass
age and enforcement of the Dick bill
and since actual work IS expected of
the militia, the membership has de-
creased and a majority of COMPANY
commanders have hard work TO keen
their organizations up to a. minimum.
This may sound strange. but it is moth
ing less than a fact. Since the annual
outings Of the old guards have gone
into history and the real working camps
nave been established, the men are
not there.
when men are asked to come in
.hey want to know what inducement
there is for them to join. Then YOU
might talk patriotism, military educa-
Iluh' or anything you may think OF
put the last thing Of all to induce them
Is pstriotism, which, strange as it may
seem, is possessed by very few men
IN time of peace. Patriotism does not
seem 10 come to most men until the
oay when war is declared, when they
late. wv
Expenses of Membership.
AS matters stand today, in the militia
there is not a man, from the highest
officer to the private, who is not out of
pocket financially by the mere reason
of his membership.
Now, as to army officers needed for
instructors of the militia, want to say
that they are needed very much, but
let US have the militia first. No com
munity would ever think Of hiring a lot
OF school teachers until they had the
cchildren to be taught
know not why, but there appears
70 be, just the same, number of regu-
lar army officers retired, who should be
In the service.
I'VE have one of them at the present
time on duty in Connecticut National
physical disability.
He can eat more and drink more and
can get around, on horseback or foot, |
as well as any officer there Is in the
national guard, which was proved nv
and want to add here that we have
a lot Of good, lively officers in the
national guard.
Preferable to Army.
But may this be as it WILL the Amer |
lean people prefer a militia to a large
standing army. and one or the other we
must have, and as it must be the mill |
tia, we should do all we can to have a |
well-trained and reliable militia, and in |
order to get the men voluntarily we
must give them some inducement to /
come in. To give them a small COM
pensation for the time and work re-
quired of them would seem to be not |
only fair, but consistent.
we are obliged to acQuaint each /
man with the duties required of him |
before he enlists; also the laws and /
regulations which govern his acts |
Just imagine the effect on a prospect
I've when the captain informs him
that he must attend at least one drill |
every week, for which he will get no |
other compensate than the benefit he /
he misses a drill (sickness excepted) !
he must pay a fine Of ST. The young |
men of today will hardly accept this as
an inducement, and yet such are the
conditions.
THE State Of Connecticut has done
a whole lot more for her soldiers than
any other State, and is doing 1t to-
day: and now that the Federal Gov
ernment has taken hold and is ex-
men than they have ever before, which
is no more than right and should have
been done years ago, the General Gov
ernment must also expect to stand a
good share of the necessary eX
penses"