Evening journal., 1912-08-12
FAVOR FEDERAL
PAY FOR MILITARY

WASHINGTON. D. c.. Aug. 12-
The National Guard of the United
States will be greatly improved and
strengthened If the bill for Federal
pay Of the militia is enacted, accord
ing to report in favor of this bill
from the House Committee on Mill
tary Affairs, which has just been sub
mitted by Congressman Pepper Of
Iowa.
The bill in question contains two
propositions. In the first place, IL
provides Federal pay for guardsmen
for attendance at drills and in the
second place it provides for the Ma
tional Guard organizations being
passed without delay into the service
of the United States and sent out Of
the country for service against a
foreign foe if necessary.
II is maintained that the National
Guard has rapidly increased in eff
cheney and that it has outgrown the
present militia laws So rapid has
been this growth in efficiency that
the Dick law of 1908 is no longer
adequate.
~ u
"The National Guard" says the re-
port, has been slowly but surely ad-
vancing to a higher degree of effici-
ency. In reaching and maintaining
this efficiency a much greater amount
of time and energy is demanded of
National Guardsmen than they can
we'll afford to give. The advanced
science of war and the complexity Of
80. f.a-a a.4
ing than heretofore.
The National Government has al
ready done much for these organiza-
tions in supplying arms, clothing and
equipment, but up to the present time
it has done nothing to provide an in
dividual reward or compensation.
"The best military students believe
that this is the next step which the
National Government should take in
the development of the citizen soldier
With such compensation there is no
doubt that the National Guard can be
made an efficient organization for
war service"
Much Yet To Be Done.
One of the facts emphasized in the
report is that the military policy Of
this Government must look to the
adequate training of the citizen
soldier. The defects Of the training
of the volunteers in the Spanish war
are cited While there has been
much improvement in the guard as
compared to conditions previous to
1898. much remains to be done.
The rates of compensation fixed in
the bill range from 5 per cent per
year of regular army pay for the
higher. commissioned officers to 81
per drill night for privates. The
amount of pay that would 60 out
from the Government to the national
guard of the entire country per year,
| if all the organizations were recruited
up and there was full attendance at
drills would be about $4,000, 600. AS
matter of fact, the actual annual
payment would be much less, because
many organizations are not recruited
up and many would not attend Adrills.
Would Compel New Standard.
Moreover, the guardsmen would
have to come UP to a required stand
ard of efficiency in order to get Fed
eral pay. The small amount allowed
to the guardsman under the bill
would help pay his expenses and
partially compensate him for the loss
of his time
1t is the plan and purpose of the
bill to help make the national guard
more and more perfect as a reserve
for the regular army. In fact. it is
contemplated. the national guard
shall, in time Of war with any con-
siderable power. not be a reserve for
the regular army, but shall form with
the regular army first line of de-
Tense
The total strength of the national
guard is about 100000 men. In other
words, providing the guard is kept in
good fighting trim, the country Will
have a force available for instant use.
providing this bill goes through, Of
about 100000 men, regulars and
guardsmen.