Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-11-16
CUARDSNEN NOT TO
BE DISCHARGED
IS ORDER
WAR DEPARTMENT ISSUES IN
STRUCTIoNS TO FUNSTON IN
THE MATTER.
FOLLOWS INQUIRIES MADE
Letter From Border Reports Boys Well
Satisfied and Unwilling to Return
if Services Still Required.

San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 1l.-Na-
tional guardsmen are not to be dis
charged from the federal service for
any reason other than the interest of
the government, according to new in
structions from Secretary Baker to
southern department headquarters. Ii
was admitted by officers here tonight
that this ruling practically closes the
door to members of the national guard
who are desirous of leaving the service
for various reasons.
The information also was given that
it was impossible for the war depart
ment to say definitely when the various
organizations of any particular organic.
tion of the national guard would besre-
turned to their home stations.
Included in the order was the explana-
tion that the granting of all the num-
erous applications of business and pro-
fessional men for discharge from tho
national guard would disorganize many
militia units and seriously impair the
efficiency of the service, and favorable
action on any individual application
would be a manifest discrimination
against many other soldiers similarly
circumstanced and equally deserving Of
favorable consideration y
Follows Inquiries.
This statement of the war department
has followed efforts, part political in
their nature, to secure the return of the
boys. The requests for return have not
come from the border for information
received from the border indicate an
attitude upon the part of guardsmen to
| desire to remain as long as the war de-
partment requires their services. In
that regard the following letter received
by George Erb in Lewiston, from ono
of the Lewiston boys, explains their
views. 1t is as follows:
Letter From Border
George f. Erb is in receipt of the
| following letter from Lieutenant r., @.
Hill, of Company +. Second Idaho in
fantry, now at the border, the letter
being dated Arivaca, November q:
"We are at Arivaca on detached SER
vice, with troop H, First cavalry regi-
ment and two troops of the Utah
cavalry. We had little excitement
the other day. We were ordered to
capture band of men who were re-
ported to have left Tucson under arms
with the intention of crossing the bor-
der just below us. We were out three
da, 5, day and night, but never caught
glimpse of the said armed party. Pros
poets are good for some similar service
and sometime we are going to run OF To
one of those bands trying to get
through Then watch us. The boys are
rounding into shape and will be able to
give a good account of themselves.
"Guess you knew we had been fur.
| inio
ments and were classed as mounted in
fantry now. We are certainly enjoy
ing the stay here, and hope we will be
retained here definitely-proyiding
we are to be kept here on the border at
any point.
Boys Well Satisfied.
Contrary to the rumors being print
ed by the newspapers, the boys as a
whole are well satisfied. They realize
that the cause that brought them here
has not been removed and are content
to stay here until properly relieved.
There are, of course, one or two excep-
: tions to this, and it is the 'holler' Of
these exceptions that is getting into the
papers as the prevalent feeling of the
whole company. The boys as a whole
resent this attitude on the part of the
publishers and feel that it is doing them
an injustice to print such items. The
company is whole is unanimous in the
feeling that they do not wish to parti-
cipate in any such campaign to be re-
lieved as has been proposed. They pro-
post to stay here as they signed up to
do, until property relieved by orders
of the president. They feel that such
action as has been proposed reflects
!, upon their loyalty and patriotism and
that Company F as an organization
:. wants none of it. When we go home
we want to march up that old Main
street feeling that we have done our
duty Loyalty and we'll aud that we stuck
:, with the jub until our job was done, and
t that we were not sent home because OF
f a lot of political lobbying and because
f of the wailings of the few discontended
l. ones.
, 1--WE now have fine camp and .
II fine location and the post is very sat,
II isfactory all around. The boys are do
II ing we'll and have earned the favorable
h criticism which we get from time To
% time.o
A card received from Doctor Rigg.