The Washington times., 1912-07-31
PAY FOR
MILITIA FAVORED BY
HOUSE COMMITTEE
Bill Reported Also Puts Ma
tional Guard Into First
Line of Defense.

The National Guard Of the United
States will be greatly improved and
strengthened IL the bill for Federal
pay Of the militia is enacted, accord
ing to a 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, 1t pro-
vides Federal pay for guardsmen for
attendance at drills and in the second
place 1t provides for the National
Guard organisations being passed
without delay into the service Of the
United States and sent out of the
country for service against q foreign
Zoe II necessary. -.
1t Is maintained that the National
Guard has rapidly increased In effici-
lency and that 1t has outgrown the
present militia laws. So rapid has
been this growth in efficiency that
the Dick law of 1903 is no longer ade-
quate. .a. .
Efficiency Increased. ,.-...
1.-THE National Guard" says the re-
port, has been slowly but surely ad-
vancing to higher degree Of effici-
ency. In reaching and maintaining
this efficiency much greater amount
of time and energy is demanded Of
National Guardsmen than they can
well afford to give. The advanced
science of war and the complexity Of
weapons require much greater train
dng than heretofore. Sc. ... "
"The National Government has al
ready done much for these organiza-
tions in supplying arms clothing and
equipment, but up to the present time
1t 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. 90
One of the facts emphasized In the re-
port is that the military policy of this
Government must look to the adequate
training Of the citizen soldier. The de-
fects Of the training Of the volunteers
in the Spanish war are cited, While
there has been much improvement in
tne SuaTu as COiipdTcu " COhuitioHs
previous to 1898, much yet remains to be
done. E. ...
The rates of compensation fixed in the
bill range from per cent per year OF
regular army pay for the higher com.
missioned officers to 81 per drill night
for privates. The amount Of pay that
would go out from the Government tC
the national guard of the entire country
per year. II all the organizations were
recruited up and there was full attend
ance at drills would be about 5000. 900
AS a matter of fact, the actual annua
payment would be much less, because
many organizations are not recruited VI
and many would not attend drills.
Would Compel New Standard.
Moreover, the guardsmen would have
to come up to a required standard o.
efficiency in order to get Federal pay
The small amount allowed to the guards
man under the bill would help pay hi
expenses and partially compensate hin
for the loss of his time.
1t is the plan and purpose of the bill
to help make the national guard NOR
and more perfect as a reserve for tn,
regular army. In fact, 1t Is contem
plated the national guard shall, in tim
Of war with any considerable power
not be reserve for the regular army
but shall form with the regular army
first line Of defense.
The total strength Of the nationa
guard Is about 10000 men. In othe
words, providing the guard is kept il
good fighting trim, the country will
have a force available for instant use
about 100000 men, regulars and guards
men.