Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-10
PENROSE FAVORS
NATIONAL GUARD
Says That National Govern
ment Should Pay More At
tention to Them

Senator Boies Penrose, who has very
clearly set forth his position on ma
tional defense. declared in Washing
ton that as result of his 1000 mile
trip about the country he was con-
vinced that the National Guardsmen
deserve more consideration in the ma
tional scheme and that he will work
to tina end.
| The Senator's ideas are as follows:
| MY own opinion is that we should
| provide standing army of at least
250, 900 men and as many more as the
military experts of the government be-
! lieve to be necessary. In addition, we
should strengthen the National Guard
| by enacting the Militia Pay bill and
| by other means make service in the
militia attractive. But / am not sure
| that the proposed continental army
will be established, for l find much
opposition to it from National Guard
/ sources. Many guardsmen have writ
ten to me protesting against this fea-
ture OF the preparedness program
and II seems to me that the PROPOSE
ton as outlined and approved by the
, administration is unfair to the Ma
tional Guard, many members of which
have devoted years of service to II.
AECcclcIICS iOK OuHTuSD1en
For instance, why should the 49,
600 officers and men who compose the
National Guard of Pennsylvania be
obliged to take a back seat for this
continental army in the event OF the
forces of this country being called to
the colors? Our guard is efficient and
has been maintained for years as an
effective force always at the disposal
of the Federal Government. If the
occasion should arise where the armed
forces of this country are called into
service, then the National Guard
should come next to the standing
army and should have the precedence
and. prestige to which they naturally |
are entitled.
Il have just finished a circuit of
10000 miles of travel throughout this |
country with the Liberty Bell and it is |
my opinion that the people are
strongly in favor of preparedness /
program of building up the armed |
strength of the nation. There can !
be no partisanship in this question |
and no party will be able to gain a |
political advantage from it. 1t is a !
patriotic question.
II have given some study to the |
question and my own opinion is that |
the best way for US to proceed would |
be, after increasing our standing army |
to the requisite size, to provide for |
short term enlistments, say one year, !
and then provide for a reserve. Many
young men would be glad to serve in |
the army for year just to be able to
see the world and get the physical
benefits from such service. Then we
could keep them on the reserve list
by some concessions such as q small
amount OF pay, preference in civil
service appointments, exemption from
jury duty and by similar means. Il
believe in this way we could soon
I, I'LL. -
half a million men.
Money Must be Provided i
"As to how the expense of this in
met, l cannot say. That is for the
Democrats to determine. Perhaps they
will provide for a bond issue. Some
provision must be made; that is GER
tain. The treasury is bankrupt, no
matter how the administration off,
cials may attempt to conceal the fact.
There is talk of a tax on gasoline, but
If that is enacted it will bring down
upon the Democratic Party the dis
approval OF the farmers of the West
who own automobiles or run their
threshing machines by gas engines.
The piper must be paid and 1t is for
the Democrats in power to determine |
by what method.
1T is gratifying to note that in the |
movement for preparedness all ele- !
ments of the Republican Party are |
united, including the Progressives, |
who are coming back. In fact, the |
Progressive leaders were among the
first to declare for prompt action in |
this direction.
81 do not look for any general tariff !
legislation at this session, unless It is |
precipitated upon Congress by the |
question of providing the means for |
carrying out the national defense pro-
gram. In such event the whole ques- |
ton is likely to be opened up. Other /
wise there can be no general revision !
of the tariff until the Republican |
Party is returned to power. But some |
provision must be made 10 meet the |
conditions which will arise at the end !
of the European war. Then the in |
dustries of Europe will resume pro-
duction and their output of cheap |
labor will be dumped upon the Amer
lean market, unless the protective
bars are put UP to keep them out.
There Is serious problem that con-