Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-21
Gen. Clifford R. Foster Asserts
Citizen-SoIdier Force Does
Not Oppose Preparedness. =,
HAS DECLARED IN FAVOR
OF PRESIDENTS POLICY
Association, He Declares, Pledges
Support to Reasonable Increase
of Federal Army.

Coming to the defense of the Ma
tional Guard against the attacks made
recently upon it. Gen. ]. Clifford r.
Foster of Florida. chairman of the
executive committee of the National
Guard Association, has issued a state
ment declaring that the National
Guard is not opposed to preparedness
The charge is not true. he said, 'in
the sense that the term is applied to
any policy which will insure adequate
preparedness for national defense, and
not do violence to those national
traditions and ideals of which the
President only recently reminded u.s."
Gen. Foster is in Washington to ap-
pear before the congressional military
committees, together with other Of
fcers of the National Guard.
Quotes Resolution Recently Adopted
The National Guard is not now and
never has been opposed to a reason
a BILE increase in the regular army" the
statement says. This is shown by the
atcion of the National Guard Associa-
tion of the United States at it's con-
vention in November last, when, by
clared: The training and development
of large force for national defense is
imperatively necessary and this as
ISOLATION pledges it's support to any
reasonable increase in the regular
army that may be recommended by the
President of the United States as in
his judgment necessary for the better
national defense, and pledges its best
efforts to secure the enactment OF such
measures into law
eff those in authority believe that
larger force of well trained federal
soldiery is necessary for the national
defense, then, obviously, the thing to
do is to recommend reasonable increase
in the regular army, and automatically
such recommendation will command
the Endorsement of the National Guard.
That feature of the administrations
program for preparedness which does
not find support among National Guard
men or among any appreciable num-
Der of citizens anywhere is the one
which proposes to give place among
first line troops "a position for which
the National Guard is pronounced un-
fi) to an imaginary force represented
only by a plan for bringing 1t into be-
ing.
Raises Element Of Doubt.
Doubt as to the potency Of this plan
comes with the announcement of its
sponsors that IL 1t will not work. or if
the American people Will not accept II,
then the traditions and ideals to which
we have previously been referred will
no longer be- safe guide. and that uni
versal compulsory military service
must follow.
National Guardsmen are unwilling to
accept this as a fair test as to whether
or not the country may safely depend
upon its citizenry for defense, and the
continental army scheme will find its
chief supporters among that class Of
people who are not inclined to rely
upon a citizenry trained and accus-
toned to arms, but who at heart be-
lieve in the European systems, and
would either maintain large force of
professional soldiers or establish a sys-
TEN Of compulsory universal service.
These will argue that this proposed
force will eventually become a part of
the standing army; that its transition
will be accomplished in the natural
course of events and that if 1t is found
impracticable, as 1t will be, to so IN
tensify' the military training which
can be given civilians within the sug-
gested period of two months as to make
n soldier then the period will be ex-
tended. with the ultimate result which
they hope for.