Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-11-16


men and officers Of the National Guard
on the national pay roll az II they
were national soldiers. have never
been opposed. and am not now, to
these men and officers receiving rec
ompense for expense or compensation
for service. Their enlistment contract
Is with the state; their primary obi.
cation is to the state; and all the de
tails Of recruitment, enlistment, train
ing, ETC., are In the hands OF the
state; and | think that the matter OF
compensation should come from the
state. As already indicated, have
recommended almost 100 per cent
increase in appropriations for the Ma
tional Guard. / am entirely favorable
to increasing this IL necessary. can.
not see why, II the state finds that 1t
can only secure the men or can secure
better results by paying them. they
should not Immediately proceed to do
so, when relieved, as propose to re-
lieve them, from expenses which they
now pay. VII.
In preparing the plan, / was minded,
by what has been brought to my at.
tention constantly since have been
secretary Of war and almost by all Ma
tional Guard officers that have dis
closed their state OF mind to me, that
the real purpose which actuated the
majority Of men In the National Guard
was the federal service; that the in
citing cause to most enlistments and
obtaining of officers was the hope and
desire for federal service. And to the
extent that we could approximate fed
eral service, we would increase the
number and quality OF the guard.
Having here an opportunity to offer
these men actual federal service, ]
felt that in recognition Of their desired
and aspirations.sI should do so. ]
therefore proposed to enable, so Tar
as federal legislation can do so. any
member Of the National Guard to come
into the federal service in the CONT
mental army in exactly the same po-
sition which he had attained In the
National Guard Ny purpose in this
proposition, as has just been stated,
arose out Of my feeling that these
men, having devoted time and per.
sonal service at personal sacrifice, to
military matters, with the declared
purpose Of fitting themselves for fed
eral service, should, in recognition
thereof and In fairness be given an
opportunity at the first chance pos
sible to engage in the federal service.
II there is any legitimate reason why
this should not be done, wish that
II would be brought to my attention
so that may consider it.
further propose to offer similar
to any unit of the Nation
al Guard, 50 that, II it chooses, that
unit may come over and exist In the
continental army In the same organi-
cation as 1t was In the National Guard.
Further than this + do not see how
it is possible how to 60 with respect
to what shall be enacted into law.
With respect to whether organiza-
tions Of the National Guard shall have
historical traditions which they desire
to preserve, whether their existence
under the changed denomination could
be so brought about as to enable them
TO perpetuate their historical continu.
Ivy sn0 other like questions, 1t seems
TO me that such questions should be
settled by regulation or rul5 and not
by legislative enactment. although i
have no objection In my mind at this
time to considering any legislative en-.
actment Of that character. In other
words, what 1 here propose Is TO put
Ii force the provisions of the recently
enacted volunteer bill. respecting the
of National Guard or
CARNATIONS In the volunteer army,
with those provisions amplified to in.
clude organizations higher than regi-
ment.
cered. aside from those that we obtain
Is above indicated, from the National
Guard, by members of the officers OF
he reserve corps, provision for
which will be Incorporated in the bill;
1y retired officers of the regular army
and by graduates or undergraduates
If educational Institutions having mil.
tary courses and other citizens who
rave qualified themselves for such ap-
,ointment by experience or study or
10th; these latter subject to such ex-
as the president may pre-
Icribe.
IL mas Deen suSgesCeQ 10 me tndI II
would be desirable to make a similar
provision for the new force to that |
which is provided In the volunteer bill
With respect to the volunteer force,
lamely, to have a certain limited num-
Ter of officers of the regular army, in
he discretion Of the president COM
nissioned In each regiment or indie
'endent battalion. have not definite.
Y reached conclusion upon that
oint and l would like your views.
II is proposed that all officers below
he grade Of lieutenant-colonel shall I
e commissioned by the president
7ithout the necessity of receiving the
dvise and consent Of the senate, but
hat all officers above that grade must
e commissioned after the action of
he senate. 1t is proposed, with re-
pect to promotion, that the principle
{ seniority shall not be absolutely
dhered to, but that there shall be
ONE well-worked-out process of Sc
sction. Promotion will first be with.
j the army; second, in so far as it is
raaffra hIo uhoro fha INIT IN ouoefiOn