The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-05-26
PREPARING FoR PREPAREpNEss

house confreres and the ultimate pa
sage by congress of their bill for ii
Increase of the army and the nationi
guard will not constitute immediat
preparedness against war by an
means, although a great many peopl
thoughtlessly assume that it will d
so.
1t is merely taking the initial stel
toward preparing for preparedness.
The bill agreed upon by the confre
res increases the standing army t.
100000 in time of peace, with author.
ity given the president to expand this
force to approximately 275,OOO at his
discretion in the event of the immi-
hence of war.
The national guard is to be federal
lied and increased to 425,00O officers
and men. 1t will remain under the
immediate contro' - states
in time of peae elt Il exc.
that each officer lr must sign a.
agreement to Sc lie yyernrart
~henever called
dent, This wiz s,se tte president
power to orde the national guard out
at any time service either within
or without Il borders Of the United
States. 7 therefore dignifes the
guard and makes it federal force in
stead Of a merely state militia. 1t will
be armed and equipped in precisely the
same manner as the regular army.
Majors and all other officers above
that grade, according to the bill will
receive $500 year from the govern
ment in time of peace. Captains of
companies will receive the same, while
captains of the stall corps and de-
partments and lieutenants receive
from $3.50 to $500 a year, according to
grade. They are also paid for camp
duty each year.
In all probability the government
viii have difficulty in recruiting the
regular army up to the required stand
ard, but it is more than probats the
national guard will be raised to the
$4,000 mark in short order. ANY
country town of a population of 500
or more and with reasonable farm
ing population. can recruit company
of the finest kind of young men for
service in the guard. 1t would be
worth $48 year and more to anv
as they receive 81 for each attendance
at drill, the number in any one year .
not to exceed forty-ei2ht. Inev are ,
also paid for camp duty. IN addition
to the financial consideration. each
man would also receive fine miiitary
educa ION ard ira.rlrs which w,pld
be Of lnealculali. vahh = hIrl :, his
future business career. The benefits
Of the physical training wculd also be
great.
But as We said before, the recruit
ing of this great force will by no
means constitute immediate prepared
ness against war. 1t is only the be-
ginning. These companies and regi- =
ments and brigades must be armed and
equipped and trained for long ne.
riod Of time before they will be in
shape to take the field in the event Of
war. With drills but once a week and
their annual camp duty it will be sew. /,
eral years before this new force can
be actually depended upon for immedi-
ate service in the face of an enemy.
Should they be called out prior to
that time. it would be necessary to y
send them TO a concentration camn
Tor six months or so of steady drill /,
and instruction before sending them to .
the front.
And yet this is a good beginning. It /
is serving notice upon other and more
aggressive nations that while the
United States does not want war, y GtI
we will nevertheless go to great
lengths to administer p, sound; thrash- .
ing to any nation that, has ithe temeri-
ty to force war upon us. :+1 r
Let us hope that the creation of this :
army of nearly 100000 men will serve
to keep US immune from war, just as j
a loaded gun viii bring any bully to a i
standstill. =.
In the mean time the formation Of a
a company in Brownsville would not t
be out Of place. 1t would demonstrate +
in foreeful manner our loyalty to our 1
country h
A GOOD ROADS BILL. 4
The senate has passed without a rec v