New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-10
"PIaying Pernicious Poll
tics with Vital Question:"
Says American Society.
STIMSON BELIEVES
GUARD HAS LOBBY
Points to Fight on Bill Hating
Pay Above Captain's-New
Raid on Pork Barrel.

Charges we're made yesterday By the
American Defence Society that the ma
ticnal guard was playing pernicious
politics with the vital question OF ade
quate national defence" and was main
tanning q lobby at Washington, well
supplied with money, in furthersnce Of
its schemes.
In support Of these charges a letter
from Henry L. Stimson, former Secre-
tsry Of War, was made public, contain
ing the following comment on circu-
lar spread By the National Guard As
ISOLATION of New York in its propa-
ganda for the defeat Of the Chamber
lain bill:
at bears on its face evidence 10 the
effect that there is now a lobby of ma
tional guard officers at work in Wash
ington legislation that their energies
are primarily devoted to obtaining pay,
that their chief interest il in the pay
Of the higher officers Of the guard
Protest by National Guard.
The circular in question. addressed
10 members of the National Guard As
ISOLATION, State OF New York. calls at
tenton 70 the fact that an amendment
TO the Chamberlain bill strikes out pay
for all officers above the grade of cap
tain, INTENDED unquestionably to ere
ate confusion in the national guard,
I e. srI l.rr rla 70
not only opposed. but actually hostile,
TO the organized militia"
II no officer above captain, the COM
munication continues. is 10 be paid,
captains would not want promotion,
with the result that it would be difficult
TO develop higher officers, causing a
serious block in promotion.
As you probably know" it con-
tinues, "the Hay bill cut out the in
crease of pay for officers above captain.
but allowed $500 q year Tor officers OF
all grades above first Lieutenant While
this is open 20 criticism, 10 was felt by
the national guard officers in Washing
ton that IL would be better not 10 raise
any issue on that point, but 10 concen-
trate against the adoption Of the Cham
berlain bill, which cuts out pay for all
officers above the grade of captain.
at is evident there is a group Of peo-
pie backing the Chamberlain bill who
intend that ultimately the national
guard officers shall not hold rank above
that Of captain. and this would be a
very effective step toward that end"
Commenting further on this circu-
lar, Mr.. Stimson in his letter 10 the
American Defence Society wrote:
This evidence tends TO confirm what
nv own experience and observation
have indicated Tor some time, namely,
that this proposed legislation does not
represent the viewpoint Of the great
BODY OF our national guard-its rank
and file but has been skilfully and
persistcntly pushed in the interest OF
an organized clique OF the higher ON
GERS who are primarily interested IN
the question OF pay.
IF this effort succeeds. there will be
created a vested interest in the pork
barrel more compactly and powerfully
organized than anything which we now
have"
Why Garrison Quit.
The statement Of the American De-
fence Society also contained an inter
view with IAN officer Of high rank IN
the United States army" stating that
the accusation made by former Secre-
tarv Of War Garrison that the national
guard opposes every attempt at proper
military organization for the country's
defence resulted in his resignation
from the Cabinet.
The movement. he is quoted as say
ing. if successful, would be the great
est menace TO the Liberties OF the coun-
try. because il would enlarge the pow
or Of the national guard lobby by es-
tablshing in every Congressional dis
trict 500 members. on Federal pay, not
selected by the national, but by the
state government.
The plans they are backing would
also create. he said. large standing
army, possessing all the dangers OF
such an institution, without the safe
guards intended by the constitution,
and would increase eight-fold the cost
of the militia 70 the Federal govern
ment without increasing Its dependa-
biity.
In response 20 request by the
American Defence Society for comment
on the national guard lobby, General
Leonard Wood said:
81 cannot see anything but disaster
IN starting new force and planting
i'm the military pathway a struggle FOR
money. The national guard will be
struggling for money, and you will also
have the continental army, with all its
friends, struggling for an appropria-
ton
G. 6. Thompson, chairman OF the
executive committee of the society,
said: "This national guard lobby IS
trying TO use the methods common TO
ward heclcrs"