Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-19
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BY JAMES 3 NEVIN.

| 1t seems more than likely that a
| bill will pass Congress, perhaps dur
ing the present session, providing for
| pay for the various State militia or
ganization qualifying for services
under the Dick law, which Is being
gradually expanded TO bring the mi =
| litia in closer touch with the regular
army.
Whenever the State militia agrees
| to accept pay from the national Gov
| eminent, however enlistments will be
q much more serious matter tina
now II likely will mean that the
soldier enlisting will agree for immc-
diate service upon call Of the Presi-
dent for either foreign or domestic
purposes.
As matter Of fact and this IS
frankly admitted in the War De
partment in Washington. he entire
purpose Of the Dick law is to bring
the regular army and the State mill
tia into such close and intimate rela
tons that eventually there will be
practically no difference between the
two. In this way the regular army
would be- in effect, enlarged to more
than twice its present size, and still
hold to a sort of subdivision by
States
There Is some difference OF opinion
among military men as to the de
STABILITY or advisa bility OF State
troops qualifying too far under the
Dick law. and only four or five States
to date actually have qualified. I'm
douhtedly. the funds furnished by the
national Government to the States
that do come in under the law help
nightly in keeping the State organ
izations together. but every new aid
offered carries with 1t some surrender
OF State control over the State troops.
The Georgia State troops arc SPLEEN
didly organized and especially efficient
at this time. Whether they ever will
qualify unreservedly under the Dich
law Is problematical. however.
The matter win not be decided
finally. perhaps, until the pending
amendments to that law have been
acted upon by the Congress of the
United States.
'T have read with melancholy
pleasure the many kind and true
things the press OF Georgia has had
to say of late, both just before and
after the death of Colonel Charles
r. Pendleton, concerning that SPLEEN
did and remarkable man. He was de-
serving of all the praise heaped up
on him
Il happen to know, too, that when
Senator Clay died. the then Cover
nor, Joseph NJ. Brown, did, as has
been said. have in mind very seri-
ously the question of offering to
Colonel Pendleton the vacant Sena-
torship. | think the Governor had
his serious doubts that the Macon
editor would accept the honor, II ten
dered. but that was not the thing
that finally decided him 10 offer il
to his other dear and unselflSh friend,
Joseph NJ, Terrell.
The thing that determined Gov
ernor Brown in this matter was the
fact that the surviving Senator
Augustus Bacon. lived in Macon,
and he thought ii likely it would be
mistake to give one and the same
city the two Senators. Had il not
been for the fact that Pendleton lived
in Macon, he might have had the
Senatorship rendered him, even had
he turned ii down
These are the facts of the case
as | recall them, and they are in
teresting, If not, Of course, tremen-
dously important.
To-day Is being observed In a way
as legal holiday at the Capitol. Not
all of the departments are shut up
tight, as is the case on Christmas
and the Fourth of July. but none OF
them are open in the full sense that
applies usually.
Lees birthday was made a legal
holiday in Georgia a good many years
ago, and it generally is observed by
all of the banks, and partially OBJ
served, anyway, by the various State
institutions.
Jefferson Davis birthday also is a
legal holiday in Georgia