New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-28

OF I'D START
OF REAL GUARD
Militia Engineers Gave
Too Much Time to
Dancing, Says Critic.
WAR DEPARTMENT
FORCED TO ACT
ClewS and Dooling Will
Appeal-Hint Glynn
Used Politics.

Appeal-Hint Glynn
Used Politics.
justification for Governor Glynn's
order that the 22d Regiment of Engi
neers be disbanded at once was offered
last night by a high military official OF
the state, who asked that his name be
concealed.
"The trouble with the 22d,' he said,
'is that 80 little attention has been
paid to the duty of instructing the
men In the work that would make them
useful in war that most of them know
really nothing about military engineer
ing
They have given most of their time
TO pool playing. to bowling and TO on
gineering successful dances. The
statement that the armory is one Of
the best equipped in the country
probably because its construction cost
about $1,0OO.OOO is ridiculous. q. 1t is
true that there is plenty Of military
material i'm the srmory. such as $50
chairs and $500 desks, but am afraid
they wouldn't stand up long in a hard
campaign.
"Pool playing and bowling are
doubtful aid also in war training, and
Of just what value dancing would be
am not enough of an expert to ex-
plain.
Too Much Social Life.
This is not only true Of the 22d,
but instances of it can be found in
many other regiments in the state
though in the others the main idea is
to train the guardsmen for service.
In the 22d. the only indications that
the members are engineers are in their
uniforms and the name Of the organ
ization
"Some Of the men-there are some
who have been in the regiment Tor sew
eral wears and are Efficient are by
training and instinct qualified TO DO the
york which is 10 be expected OF every
member. and it is these men who viii
be retained when the weedlng-ouJ
process is over and the present organ
ization divided into two battallons.
beginning to-day. understand, Major
General John +. Organ and the other
members of a board he has appointed
will examine the officers informally tc
test their ability and knowledge.
The other members Of this special
hoard Of officers will be Lieutenant
Colonel Eugene w. Van &. Lucas, chief
engineer on General O'Ryan's stan;
Major II. Dye.t and Major ". +. Con
row. both Of the I'D, ana captain
Thomas, Of the regular army. -,
II is estimated that two years VIII
be consumed in developing the men TO
a stage of real efficiency and about a.
much time will be necessary IN reiur-
nisLing the armory for use as a place
of instruction and exhibition.
\ battalion of earth workers ana "a
battalion Of bridge builders viii make
mn the new 22d. The former. known
a. pioneers. cloar the roads Tor the
REGULAR troops. while the bridge build
crs, also called pontoniers. are men
trained in the building and repairing
Of bridges. o,,
With the reorganization OF the 2Zd
il is said that - new fighting spirit j.
TO be instilled into the national guard.
The social side Of the service Is to be
given less attention and the guard
welded into an efficient fighting unit
ready 10 Join the regular army at the
first mint of need
Plan Made for Regiment.
4 committee of prominent men in
tercsted i'm militia matters, headed by
Henry Clews and John 7. DoOllng. is
preparing to appeal to Governor Glynn
10 rescind the orde- disbanCing the
regiment. A.
Dooling last night. but my interest m
the work is intense. and if Mr.. Glynn
sees tit 20 90 nothing we shall 90 20
Governor Whitman. Mr.. Whltman has
assured MS iha, II Governor Glynn does
nothing he will begin an inves tisatlon.
81 have been concerned in the work
OF TRYING 10 develop the national guard
FOR twenty-five wears, and when PresI-
dent Wilson said that IN the event oil
war he would depend upon his trained
citizenry' ! regarded u as an mdorSe-
ment of Just the sort OF work beng
done i'm the 22d.
81 hesitate 20 believe that this Is a
political play. because ! anu Democrat
and have faith iu our present Gov
oruor, but this move raises the qucs-
tion. u may De shat the War Depart
mcnt has been imposed on.
"The 22d Is one of the fines; rcgi-
ments in the state. Never has bar
r.er been raised against an applicant
on the ground of race. creed or color.
nor has any one of those thing
blocked a promotion. The regiment
did duty in the Brooklyn trolley strike
and on other occasion and this action
row flies in the face Of an unblemishcd
record"
Federal Action Necessary.