White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1916-04-21
NATIONAL GUARD
GETS Planning"
SENATOR BoRAH ELEcTRlFIEs
SENATE WITH STATEMENT
FUNDS ARE WASTED.
OFFICERS GET ALL BIG MONEY
Suggestions Made for New Army siI.
Take Oath to Obey Orders From
President as Well as Governor
Looting of Funds Shown.

Take Oath to Obey Orders From
President as Well as Governor
Looting of Funds Shown.
Washington.-Two more provisions
designed to strengthen the federal
status of the national guard have been
written into the senate army bill. In
the course of debate enlivened by
charges that federal funds provided
the national guard in past years had
been foolishly thrown away and in
some cases embezzled, the senate
all officers Of the guard above the
rank of captain, be paid $500 year
by the federal government and that
all guardsmen on enlistment be re-
quired to take an oath to obey orders
from the president as well as the gov
ernor of their respective states.
The attack on guard officers for
their use of federal funds was made
by Senator Borah in a speech oppos-
ing the Reed amendment for federal
pay. The Idaho senator declared the
$8,000,00O available annually for use of
the guard under the Dick militia law
had been shamefully utilized by Of
ficers to the exclusion of enlisted
men and that some of it chad been
embezzled." Several senators de-
Tended the guardsmen and the fed
eral pay amendment was adopted, II
to IA.
Schools of Training.
Senator Reed introduced an amend
ment for schools to train young men
as officers of the army and navy. The
secretaries of war and navy would be
authorized to divide the country into
from six to ~ districts, each contain
ing school for the instruction of re-
servists from Ia to, 20 years old. En-
listment would be for 10 years, the
first four to be spent in school and the
rest in reserve.
In his speech Senator Borah declared
that the 100000 a year now appro-
priated by the government for the ma
tional guard was "shamefully wasted"
and some of it "embezzled."
Borah Repeats Charge.
That's pretty serious CHARGE" de.
clared Senator Pomerene, democratic,
interrupting.
well, make it without any qualifi-
cation" Senator Borah replied, and he
read from war department reports to
show what most Of the fund had been
utilized by officers of the national
guard for themselves and that enlisted
men had practically no benefit of it.
eff senators here will examine the
record Of these appropriations" Sena-
tor Borah continued, "tley will hest
tate about appropriating $50,000,O00
for the national guard as it Is now pro-
posed to do.
"In this bill you are not preparing
for war. You are not giving the people
what they are expecting to pay for.
We are filling this bill up from begin
ming to end with purely political ap-
preparations and you could not pro-
coed a step under the guise of nation
al preparedness"
Senators Pomerene and Reed
staunchly defended the national guard.
Reed Defends Guard.
There may be thief in the ma
tional guard but SO there have been
in the regular army and senators
from this body have been sent to
JAIL" declared Senator Reed. "But 1
am not willing to hear honorable men
maligned without sufficient provoca-
ton"
Senator Borah in support of his
charge, said:
II find, according to the report of
the war dedaptrement, that in the
Ohio national rifle match in 1911, $13,-
1872 was expended on the state rifle
team, all Of whom were officers. In
the period from July %, 1911, to Sep.
TENDER %, 1912, colonel drew pay to
the amount Of sail. In the period
from July 1, 1911, to September Is,
1912, another officer. also in the same
state, colonel, drew pay to the sum
of $1601.
Ohio Fund Dissipated.
I'm the period from July 80, 1911, to
September /, 1913, third colonel in
that state drew pay to the amount Of
$1299. So the entire appropriation, or
apportionment, to the state of Ohio for
this year practically went to the Of
ficers and there Is no report of any
portion of it going to the enlisted men.
II do not know that there are any
officers of the national guard whom !
would distrust personally" he said. II
call the attention of senators that
have not made general charge. l
have said that the money appropriate
ed under the Dick law has been shame
fully used
Let them disprove the figures, and
If they do l am not too proud to
apologize, but l will say now that the
more they are disposed to delve into
the record of the last eight y ears the
less they will be inclined to expose
their findings on the floor of the SEM
ate"
INDUSTRY AND IMPROVEMENT.
The Fairfield Cooperative Creamery
company at Fairfield Wash has pur. |