The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-12-17

in the right direction, and j earnestly
hope that it will be carefully studied
and perfected by congress.
Pay for National Guard.
"Under existing law the national
guard constitutes, after the regular
Army, the first line of national defense.
It's organization, discipline, training and
equipment, under recent legislation,
have been assimilated, as far as pos
sible, to those of the regular Army, and
| its practical efficiency, under the eff
feet of this training, has very greatly
increased. Our citizen soldiers under
present conditions have reached n stage
of development beyond which they can
not reasonably be asked to go without
| further direct assistance in the form of
| pay from the federal government, On
| the other hand, such pay from the ma.
tional treasury would not be justified
unless it produced n proper equivalent
in additional efficiency on the part of
the national guard The organized mil.
! itia today cannot be ordered outside of
the limits of the United States, and
thus can not lawfully be used for gem
eral military purposes. The officers and
men are ambitious and eager to make
come an efficient national reserve of
citizen soldicry. They are the only
force Of trained men, other than the
regular Army, upon which we can rely.
The so-called militia pay bill, in the
form agreed on between the authorities
of the war department and the represen-
tatives of the national guard, in my
opinion, adequately meets these condi-
tions and offers a proper return for the
pay which it is proposed to give to the
national guard.
81 believe that its enactment into
law would be very long step toward
providing this Nation with first line
of citizen soldiery, upon which its mair
reliance must depend in case of any ma
! tional emergency. Plans for the organi
cation Of the national guard into tao
teal divisions, on the same lines a!
those adopted for the regular Army, ar,
being formulated by the war college di
vision of the general staff.
, National Volunteers.
: "The national guard consists of onl,
e about 10000 men. In any serious wa
r in the past it has always been necessary
$ and in such war in the future it doubt
= less will be necessary, for the Nation t,
= and the national guard, upon n larg
c force of volunteers There is at pres
e ent no adequate provision of law for tn
a raising of such force. There is nov
" pending in congress, however, bill
;. which makes such provision, and whicl
f believe is admirably adapted to NEE
G the exigencies which would be presenter
$ in case of war. The passage of the bill
e would not entail dollars expens
l. upon the government at this time or il
the future until war comes But if wa
8 comes the methods therein directed ar
:. in accordance with the best militar
@ Judgment as to what they ought to be
V and the act would prevent the necessit
II for discussion of any legislation am
l. the delays incident to its consideration
v and adoption. ] earnestly urge its pas
: sage.
e Consolidation of the Supply Corps.
/ "The Army appropriation act of 1911
y lafso carried legislation for the consol
:, ldation of the quartermaster depart
J. 1nent the subsistence department, an
$ the pay corps into single supply do
u apartment, to be known as the quarter
o master corps. 1t also provided for tn
u Organization of special force of CT
= iisoed men, to be known as the servi6
corps, gradually to replace many of tn
civilian employees engaged in the manuf
Q labor necessary in every army. / b.
4 lieve that both of these enactments wi
|. improve the administration of our mil
@ tary establishment. The consoidatio
: of the supply corps has already been ei
!. fected, and the organization of the SCI
/ vice corps is being put into effect.
a CAN of the foregoing reforms are j
r. the direction of economy and efiicienc,
j. Except for the slight increase necessar
: to GARRISON our Outposts in Hawaii an