New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-26
GUARD SCANDAL
HIDDEN BY BAKER
Suppresses Army Reports
Showing Gross Weak
ness in Mobilization
TFrun The Tnbuns Bureau

Washington. Oct. 5.-Information
on file in the War Department con-
corning the mobilization Of the Ma
tional Guard on the Mexican border
reveals Irregularities of the graves,
kind, The Tribune WAS informed to-
night on reliable authority.
This information, il Is declared, Is
withheld from the public at the ex-
press command Of Secretary Baker
Officers who were questioned about il
declined to talk. and intimated that
they had been forbidden to do so.
II Is understood that much of the
information is contained In reports
from regular army inspectors sent to
inspect the militia troops, and that Il
is the subject of a special War De-
partment report which will eventually
be made public, but not until after
election. 1t is charged that the pub
lication Of this information is feared
by the Administration because II
demonstrates the failure Of the Hay
militia pork bill, which President WILL
son indorsed.
Some Of the material also appears
in a report Of the division Of militia
affairs. Of which the late Brigadier
General Albert l. Mills was chief.
General Mills IL not responsible for
the report Il was stated to-day, a
he had not had an opportunity TO az
anime 1t before his death. and this
report does not 60 into the graver
failures that accompanied tho militia
mobilization. IL deals only with the
fiscal year ended Juno 30 last, only
twelve days after the mobilization
was ordered.
Guard Oflcers Defied United States
The Tribune, in spite Of the politi-
cal censorship In force, was able to
learn some Of the major features of
the War Departments information.
These are:
That state militia officers In sew
eral instances refused to turn over tn
the Federal authorities the muster
rolls OF their organizations 80 that
they could be checked up with the
men who actually reported for mus
ter into the Federal service. As re-
suit of this it Is declared that In
many instances less than half the
paper strength Of the organizations
was available.
Only 30 per cen. Of the $4,000
militia called into the Federal service
had had military training, It Is de-
clared, though according to the War
Departments figures the strength Of
the organizations called should have
been at least 10000 without recruit
ing. Consequently. the army on the
border has been and is largely a vol.
unteer army, and not a body Of troops
trained In the rudiments, as had been
expected.
The reports show also, IL 10 declared,
that unreasonable amounts of quarter
masters supplies have been furnished
the militia. Requisitions for clothing
and other equipment have far exceeded
the normal requirements of q force Of
that sire.
Tho department still is investigating
to discover tho reason for tho waste
that undoubtedly exists. The call for
uniforms at tho outset, which puzzled
officials, was found 10 bo due to the
failure of many Of the guardsmen TO
appear for muster, and their places had
20 be filed with recruits who had no
uniforms.
Inefflciency In South
Further, the records show surprising
inefficipcy In many states, mainly IN
the South. A few tates-notably
Massachusetts,, Wisconsin and Oregon
proved to be up to the standard OF
efficiency set by tho department.. but
others, even though allowed three
months for recruiting. are not yet up