The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-17
PAY THE NATIONAL GuAnp.

.Ndi'OLdI OeAfuSe SlOuA0 De common
surate with national position. but the
United States has no; been obedlent
to the admonition Of Washington that
.tt we desire 10 secure peace, it must
be known that we are at all times
ready for war" The United States is
not ready for war; It never has been
ready for war; but me lesson of the
past ought to teach the necessity OF
preparedness for the future. World
peace IS still an academic question:
the war drums still throo and the
batIeaass are not furled; neither is
there any portent Of the peaceful par
liamert OF the world" y world power.
ths United States msnaces It's welfare
by the pursuance of military policy
that Sc at once narrow and made
Qelate. This nation of ours has &C.
cu1nulated vast wealth; X has devised
commercial schemes t6 increase that
wealth 50 that It must come into cons
petition With other great nations; It
Is enunc.atiag policies and principles
that, sooner or later, bid fair TO be-
come obnoxious to othsr nations; 1t is
eak!ns q national position which It's
military Strength cannot enforce. The
time mas come when the military force
OF our country must DO enlarged de-
veloped and trained to the high water
mark OF efficiency.
The solution OF the difficulty is the
utilization OF tho National Guard TO
Secure 2 large. we'll trained and always
prepared national military force. Tn
der our form OF government standing
army IS impossible: the defense of the
country should rast upon its citizens
drained and fitted for service az a great
national military reserve capable Of
Immediate mobilization. This solution
IS the most economical. because the
National Guard is already supported
70 a considerable extent by the set-
oral states. Nor would the productive
capacity of such soldiers be diminished
by their withdrawal from their regu-
lar vacations; while sui at work.
they voluntarily devote Il part of their
time to preparing themselves for mill
tary fitness. Last but not least. the
utilization OF the National Guard
would greatly reduce pensions in the
event of war. for better trained and
Better disciplined pen suffer far less
injury and mortality than raw and
ignorant troops.
To secure the efficient training Of the
National Guard involves a greater ex-
penso than the States can afford I'ha
cruX OF the difficulty IS that ;ha Ma
tional Guardsman must earn his own
living, and the training for national
sarvico demands an amount o. time
end effort which he canno; afford to
give without compensation. The Ma
tional Guard IS for the national de.
Tense. and IL. MIA lstenanco should, as
matter OF right, be a national OK.
pensc. II the government would ass!s,
in making National Guardsmen em-
Client by providing reasonable co.npen-
fation for them. such action would re-
suit in enabling officers of moderate
means TO devote the necessary time TO
military duties and studies; in secur-
ing the services OF we'll oducated young
man FOR ohFers; In retaining in the
service capable officers, many of whom
will otherwise he compelled to resign.
in requiring every National Guards
man. before receiving pay to establish
his fitness for military service: In Sc
curing more regular attendance OF en-
listed Tlan at drills IN encouraging
enlistmcnts particularly Of the bett,,
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