The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-10-30
GUARDSMEN TALK
over ARMY Plan
Militia Officers See Garrison.
Discuss Policy Proposed
by Wilson.
MAY AFFECT ITS FATE
Action of This Body on Continental
Force Idea May Bring Opposition
in Coming Congress.
MAY AFFECT ITS FATE

Officers of National Guard organiza'
| tions began here yesterday a serie;
OF conferences which are expected tC
have n strong influence on the atti'
tude of the National Guard TOWARD
F., the ADMINISTRATORS proposed military
policy which will be passed upon by
Congress this winter. In view of the
political influence of the State Militis
! organizations. II is the opinion here
that the attitude of the Nationa
Guard toward Secretary Garrison's
plan will have much to do with its
| fate in Congress.
The bodies in session here yester'
day and today are the national mill
tia board. the executive committee OF
the National Guard Association. and
officers of the Adjutants' General AS
ISOLATION. All are meeting together
and virtually simultaneously. The
militia officers held a long conference
with Secretary of War and Assistant
Secretary Breckenridge in the morn
ing and met them again last night
while further discussions will be
held today. Brig. Gen. Mills, chief OF
the militia division OF the War De-
partment, is also attending some OF
the sessions.
Discuss Preparedness Idea.
The meeting in Washington is pri-
marily to prepare for the convention
OF the National Guard Association to
be held at San Francisco early next
month. The chief topic of discussion,
however, and one that is regarded as
of most vital concern by the militia
officers is the new military policy
which the administration is proposing.
OF the National Militia Board the fol,
lowing are here: Maj. Gen. John F
Organ, OF New York. chairman; Gen
Walter A. Harris. adjutant general
Georgia: Col. W. S. Metcaf. Kansas, and
Maj. F w. Llewellyn. Washington.
Executive committee OF the Nationa
Guard Association: Maj. Gen. J. C. R
Foster. adjutant general Florida Gen
c. II. Cole, Massachusetts; Gen. II. d
Hamilton, New York. and Gen. A. j
Logan. Pennsylvania.
Association of Adjutants General: Gen
c. l. Martin. Kansas, president. and Gen
w. F. Sadler, New Jersey. vice presi'
dent.
The Garrison plan provides for In
creased Federal appropriations for the
support of the militia. to the extent p!
several million dollars. but II does not
provide for the payment of militia by
the Federal government, nor for the en-
Iargement of the militia. The chief fea-
ture of the Garrison plan. and one that
is the cause of such unfavorable atti-
tude as has been manifested by militia
men, is the provision for a force of So
called ''continentals." who, to the num-
Der of about $4,000. II is proposed to en-
list in the United States army for a Pc
riod of six years. during which they shall
receive a total OF six months OF intensive
military training.
Militia Need Not Serve.
The attitude of the War Depart
ment is that the militia ought not be
regarded as the main reserve of the
United States in the event of war. I'M
less the United States government Is
assured that 1t will have control of
the militia in time of war. Under
the Constitution the Federal govern
ment cannot have absolute, unre-
stricted control of the militia. Should
there be a war tomorrow the Federal
government could not take over the
militia body. but only such individual
officers and enlisted men as chose to
volunteer for service with the forces
of the United States.
On the eve of an unpopular war.
there is nothing in existing law TO
prevent a governor of a State from
mastering out the entire militia OF
his State. In view of these facts. the
conclusion was reached that there