Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-03
MILITIA or STATES WILL Dc
( GREATLY STRENGTHENED sY
NEW LAW.
NATION MUST DEPEND
ON CITIZEN soLpiERY
Guard Has outsrown Present Laws
and Improved in Effieoncy-Reservs
For Regular Army-Mo nsy Allowed
Under Pepper Gill Would Partially
Rsecmpsnss Ms- For 1 ess Of Time.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Aug. 3.-The national
greatly improved and strengthened II
the bill for federal pay Of the militia
is. enacted, according to q report in
favor of this bill from the house COM
mittee on military affairs, which has
just been submitted by Congressman
Pepper, OF Iowa.
In an exhaustive report on condi-
tons in the national guard and the
need for the proposed legislation Mr..
Pepper sets forth the improvements
that may be expected II federal pay
for the militia Is allowed. The bill IN
question contains two propositions. In
the first place. it provides federal pay
for guardsmen for attendance at drills
and in the second place 1t provides Tor
the national guard organizations being
passed without delay into the service
OF the United States and sent out OF
the country for service against a for.
eign foe IL necessary.
oussrows Present Laws.
II il maintained that the national
guard has rapidly increased IN enici-
ency, and that it has outgrown present
militia laws. SO rapid has been this
growth in efficiency that the Dick law
of 1903 is no longer adequate.
"The national guard" says the re-
mort "has been slowly but surely az
vancing to a higher degree OF eric
iercy In reaching and maintaining
mis- efficiency a much greater amount
of time and energy is demanded OF ma.
ffonal guardsmen than they can well
,rord 10 give The advanced scN9n"e
of war and the compiexi'y OF we"pnns
-enuire much greater training ths"
eretofore
THE national government mas Al
eaGy done much for these o.Ra
lions IN supplying arms. clothing ana
equipment but up to the present ''.e
:, Ia. done nothing to provide an m
divfdual reward or compensation
hes. military students believe that
this is the next step which the na.ivn
al government should take IN the oe
ye;opn,er. OF the citizen soldier. WI.
such compensation there is no oouo'
that the national guard can DC maue
an efficient organization ior "a1 se'
vice" .,r
One Of the facts emphasized ~
renort is that the military pohcy "
ting government must look 70 Tue -
ouate training OF the citizen su
The defects Of the training Oh the ~
,,nteers In the Spanish war are .u
While there has been mucn impios
ment in the guard as compared 10 cor
d,t.ons previous to 1898. much Se.
mains to be done. $50 .,
The rates of compensation h@eu III
the bill range from per cent per year
AZ regular army pay for nigher co1 ',,
missioned officers to a dollar per Urn
night for privates. The amour. Any
individual would receive wouto o
small. The amount OF pay tnat wou"
po out from the government to the ma
tioaal guard Of the entire country per
year. II all the organizations were
cruited up and there was fuli attenu
ance at drills would be about $S.ooo'.
nno Az a matter OF fact the actuaI
annual payment would be mucn 'ess
because many organizations are Ho'
recruited up and many would not AT
tend drills Moreover. the suarosmei.
would have to come up to requ1reu
standard of efficiency IN oroer 10 se.
federa, nay. The small amount ailo"eo
10 the guardsmen under inc pi1l w.
help pay his expenses and par.'al,y
cono nensate him for the loss OF MS
time.
" Ia the plan and purpose OF the Dill
- heln make the national guard more
and more perfect as a reserve for the
regular army In fact, 1t Is contem-
mated the national guard shall, in time
~ war with any considerable power.
he not q reserve for the regular army
but shall form with the regular army =
f,rst line OF Defense The total stIel's e a.
- the national guard is about 100000
msn In other words, providing the
guard is kept in good fighting trim. the
country will have force available for
instant use-providing this bill goes
thru-of about 100000 men, regulars
and guardsmen.
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