Arizona republican., 1913-11-17
Noted Military Educator and Tactician Begins His Duties as Special Inspec- tor of National Guard in Arizona
FIRST VISIT TO
 SALT RIVER VALLEY
Has Nothing to Do With Mexican Situation, AL though Was on Duty on Border During MaderO s Revolution

Col A. C. Sharpe, United States Army, one of the senior colonels in the service, recently appointed by the war department as special inspector 1 of certain military organizations of ] the Arizona National Guard, arrived in the city yesterday and left last night for Yuma where he will in spect the two first companies on the list, H and l., today. Returning, he will take in Tempe, Mesa and Pres colt in the order named; then he l will return to his headquarters at 1 Denver, Colo, to make his report to 1 the government upon what he found Largely upon his report will depend whether or not the five companies 1 mentioned will remain as integral parts of the National Guard or whether they will be relieved from 1 service
 i Under the national militia act, these | inspections by high officers of the army are had with a view of obtain i ing a thorough idea of the efficiency of the troops for actual service and to determine also if the companies are being kept up to that standard prescribed by the national militia act. Each year the national government appropriates so much money for the equipment and support of the na- tonal guard. but in order to con- tinue to receive that support the fed eraI government requires certain efficiency.
 Col. Sharpe is one of the best known authorities on international law in the United States army; in fact. he is one of the few actual law yers in the service. He is an LID, and was admitted to membership in the Michigan bar in 1879. He has been judge advocate general of the department of Arizona and Colorado in the early days, and was secretary of justice of Porto Rico for a while. He was on duty in Fl PasO when the Madero revolution broke out. and it is largely due to his diplomacy and knowledge that the relations of both sides of the trouble with the United States were friendly in the extreme during that time. Following that he was on duty with the National Guard of Ohio and has during the past year been with the National Guard of Colorado.
 Col Sharpe is an affabIe. cultured gentleman, a scholar of parts. When he is dressed in civilian clothes he seems more of a college president than a colonel of infantry, but when on duty he is. above all things, soldier, a tactlcian, a West Pointer he graduated in 1875-fulI of expe- rience and ability to handle the most complex situation. He has seen plenty of service on the frontier and
 
 His long service as professor of military science in some of the lead ing universities of the middle west, and as adviser to several governors in connection with the National Guard. has given him an insight into the trials and tribulations of a guard commander, so as to make his ap- pointment to inspect the Arizona guard of peculiar interest at this time.
 Tn speaking about his visit yester- day, Col Sharpe said: The war de- partment is aiming to assist the states in putting the National Guard upon a plane of efficiency and readi- ness for service. It is in connection with that work, and not because of the imminence of any call for duty with the regular troops of the Arizona Guard, that I am here. I am always glad to be in the west. because I am fond of it. I like it's freedom and it's people. and I aEn therefore exceed ingly glad to be in Arizona now. This is my first visit to Phoenix, and am delighted"
 Referring to the Mexican situation, he said: q take it that President Wilson is seeking a man in Mexico as a leader of the people who will not be guilty of those sort of official acts that would cause him to be prosecuted if he lived in the United States. I don't know anything at all about what the government expects to do in Mexico; that is not my prov ince, and therefore I cannot talk about it.
 Prescott's Dilemma
 Prescott is agitated right now over the National Guard situation. Col. Sharpe will visit that city on Thurs day to inspect the company there, Go. F, and the company has fallen into decay of late. There has, how ever, been an attempt to reorganize the company But on Friday the chamber of commerce of that city
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