The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-10-31

"S - eoeASASo With tne manner IN WHICH
they are being agreed upon without con-
sulting the General Stan of the army"
says the Army and Navy Journal
Upon his visit to the White House on
Thursday Senator Chamberlain is said
q TO have assured the President he would
support any program that would in
crease the strength of the land forces.
He did not go into the details of the pro-
gram with the President. but will take it
up with the Secretary Of War in a few
days He expressed the belief that the
. report of the War College division of the
General STAFF will be given out in some
form before the new legislation is taken
up by Congress. He will probably sug-
sest this at his conference with the Sec
rotary of War.
As | stated in my letter 10 the Sec
retary.' said Chairman Chamberlain.
Congress should have the expert opIn-
ion of the War College and the army.
With this before US, Congress can then
decide whether it is wise to follow the
Tolicv outlined by the War College. I
see no reason why this should not be
made public. and assume that it will be.
] intend to reintroduce my militia pay
bill, with certain amendments. and eX-
pet 1t Will pass without any serious OPP
position at the approaching session of
Congress. I see no reason why the or
ssnization of a continental army should
interfere with the Strengthening of the
National Guard. With the pay bill it
appears to me that the militia can be
made a dependable force. The CONT
mental army will be an experiment. and
the country cannot afford to weaken its
National Guard by any experiment with
q new force of troops. We will need all
the trained citizen soldiers that we can
obtain through both the National Guard
and the proposed continental army.
There should be no conflict between the
iwo organizations
What will be the attitude Of the Ma
tional Guard toward the administration
army legislative program may be re-
fected through the national militia |
board and the executive committee Of
the National Guard Association. The !
national militia board is the official or
sanization, and Its recommendations will |
have an official status when they are |
made to the Secretary of War. The ca
ecutive committee of the National Guard |
Association will report to the annual
meeting OF the association, which is to |
be held at San Francisco next month.
'Disquieting reports have reached the
National Guard which make the organ
lied militia apprehensive as to the effect |
that the creation of a continental army
will have upon the State troops. While
they are in the city the National Guard
officers will probably ask the Secretary
for a definite statement as to the status
of the militia under the new policy of
the department National Guard officers
have declared that they are not opposed
10 the creation of the continental army I
providing that it does not interfere with
the development Of the militia
Some National Guard officers have ad-
Nanced a plan for Federalizipg the mill
tia and making it a nucleus for a con-
army. They insist that there
should be only two forces maintained in
the country; one the regular army. which
should be maintained at its present high
standard; and the other force of citi-
zen soldiers. which could be Called out
as reserve army for the regular troops.
1t is not known whether the militia
board will take any action upon this vital
question. but it is assured that il will
come up for consideration at the meet
ing of the National Guard Association in
San Francisco. The pupose of calling a
meeting Of the executive committee of
the association at Washington at this
time is to obtain a definite statement
from the Secretary of War. upon which
the association can take action when 1t
in San Francisco.
Assistant Secretary of War Henry S.
and Brig. Gen. Albert L.
Mills L. s. A, chief of the Division Of
Militia Affairs. as representatives of the
War Department will attend the Ma
tional Guard meeting. This will prob
ably be the most important meeting in
the history of the association and is apt
to have a very important influence on
the legislation to be enacted at the next
session of Congress The Assistant Sec
rotary OF War will probably urge the
q ssociation to indorse the plan of the
department for the organization OF a
continental army This will be coupled
with an Endorsement of the militia pay
bill. and an effort will be made to line
up the National Guard behind the entire
program of the War Department.
The session is apt to be a stormy one.
as the National Guard officers are by |
no means of one opinion as TO what
legislation should be enacted. Recently
there has been a growing sentiment in
favor of compulsory military training {
among National Guardsmen. A resolu-
lion OF this character will probably be ,
introduced and will have some strong {
supporters. In some quarters 1t is be- {
ieved that it will be passed.
The General Staf of the army. and as ,
lar as that is concerned practically every $
oficer in the army, fsvors universal milf
larry training. If Congress should ask