Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-25
PROBABLY AID WILL BE VOTED
TO MILlTIAMEN At FORTH.
COMING SESSION.
ANTAGoNlsM AMONG
REGULAR ARMY OFFICERS
Many Opposed to State Militia in Prin.
cipe and Believe All Military Organ
izations Should Be Under Federal
control-Guardsmen to Be Subject Of
Discussion.
Especial Correspondence


Washington, Sept. PA gradually
increased measure of efficiency in the
organized militia, that. is, in the ma
tional guard of the states, is shown in
reports to the division of militia af-
fairs of the war department. Even
friends of the national guard admit
that this force is far from being what
it might be made in respect of eff
ton that on the whole the standard of
the guard is being raised.
This question of the state of the
guard is going to be much discussed
in the coming session of congress and
in connection with the proposed in
crease of the national defense Among
other things. the bill for federal pay of
the militia will be urged. 1t is quite
likely it will be enacted. For years,
such measure has been pending be-
fore congress but it has failed for one
reason and another.
Regulars Hostile.
The chief reason it has failed, ac-
cording TO some of the most prominent
ment. is that there is thinly concealed
hostility to the national guard Of the
various states among the ruling Off
GERS of the regular army and that they
have interposed one objection after
another To federal nav legislation.
These objections have been sufficient
to prevent passage Of bill.
Many of the guardsmen charge that
he r,fr limo M RI
of the officers are hostile to the ma
tional guard and are not willing to
see it developed as it might be. 1t
is proha bic that a good deal will be
heard in congress- and before the mill
about this feeling. On numerous oc-
casions the feeling between the regu-
lar army and the national guard crops
out. For instance. at the recent meet
ing of the military surgeons in this
city, guardsmen charged that the regu-
lar army forces passed the steam
roller over them and gave them prac-
tically no say in the management of
the association, despite the fact it was
originated with the national guard.
Want Federal Militia.
a great many of the officers of the
regular army believe it is a mistake to
have state troops. They consider that
what the country needs is a federal
organized militia or federal national
guard as distinguished from state
troops \ belief on the part of a great
many regular army men that until the
militia is organized under the federal
it viii not be as effective
as it should be is undoubtedly one ele-
ment in the friction between regular
army and national guard.
But friction or not, there is no doubt
the national guard in some respects is
being improved. For instance, some OF
the reports to the war department on
the work OF the national guard bat
teres Of field artillery this summer
and fall have been fattering. Iowa
was the first state to comply with the
recent war department order to re-
organize the national guard so as to
have the right proportion between the
infantry and the auxiliary arms of the
service. The three new batteries from
the state. in camp with regulars at
Sparta, Wisconsin, have earned high
praise from regular army officers.
War Department Satisfied.
In general the war department is
we'll pleased with the progress of the
guard in developing batteries Of field
artillery. AS everyone knows, lack Of
field artillery is one of the chief
weaknesses Of the American army.
Because some organizations of the
national guard are doing excellent
work and because the national guard
is political power. there is little
doubt congress will do something. for
the national guard next winter.
Friends of the federal pay bill think
that at last it will be forced thru and
the guard encouraged thereby. Though
most regular army experts are con-
WINGED federal national guard would
be superior to state troops, it is con-
sidered unlikely congress will regard
it as good politics to go to the federal
plan. The same considerations which
have led the government to stick to
the state system since revolutionary
days seem likely to prevail.