Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-17
MILITIA FACES
TRIAL FOR LIFE
BEFORE NATION
Recent Pet Of Congress Now
Meets Strong Opposition on
Ground of IneffiCiency
Shown in Border Service,

-, eosassponpsses TO 1oNNlAe JousnALi
washington, Dec. 1.-THE national
ord only a few months ago the pet
oongress, now faces a battle for its
',lotence as part of the federal mill
,,rv establishment.
president Wilson originally stood
.,b former Secretary Of War Lind
,,y NJ. Garrison in favor of a federal
,sBtia-the continental army-in lieu
n further efforts to transform the
s,ote militia into a force available for
taaeral purposes. The president, in
Ne message to congress Just year
oco recommended the continental
army and said nothing about the ma
tonal guard.
when congress convened last year.
however, it was evident that the old
strength of the militia with the legis-
lsfors had not diminished. Led by
representative James Hay, always
champion of the guard and chairman
n the military committee of the
house, the pro-militia faction soon
had the supporters of the administra-
ton policy on the run. President
wilson taking the view that his con-
tlnental army scheme was hopelessl>
beaten and seeking for the best plan
possible Of adoption, switched his
backing to Hay with the result that
Mr. Garrison resigned.
Border Service Factor.
AS a result there was a veritable
stampede Of congress to the side of
the militia. The militia pay bill ana
other provisions designed to place the
militia as nearly as possible on the
footing Of the regular army were
passed
Now there is a distinct change in
the situation and the most potent
cause for this is the experience of the
militia itself. Nearly six months on
the alkali wastes with all the tedious
duties Of regular soldier and nothing
to fight but rattlesnakes and sand
burs, has caused much of the militia
hankering for federal service to
evapOrate, and has furnished abund-
ant argument against liberalization.
Senator William e. Borah of Idaho
has already announced he will offer
a bill to undo the work of federaliza-
ton accomplished in both the Dick
law of 1912 and the Hay-ChambeI
lain law Of the last congress. Repre-.
sentative Hay arch champion of the
guard, is gone, while Senator Blair
Lee of Maryland and others who We're
equally ardent in behalf of the guard
were defeated for reelection in their
states in November. The apparent de-
cline of the guard as a political
power has brought many men out
against it, who were previously in
favor of liberalization.
Message Silent on Preparedness.
1t is significant in this connection
that President Wilson makes no men,
ton of preparedness in his annual
message to congress. 1t also is stated
low that the army leaders have sue
,eeded in winning Secretary of War
Newton d. Baker to their way of
linking and that, sometime before
he military appropriation bill is con-
idered, there will be a statement
rom the army heads that Will deal
he militia a body blow.
The chief. complaint against the
militia, which its opponents bank on,
IS the claim that 40 per cent of the
yuardsmen have refused to take the
oath pledging themselves to federal
service. This applies only to men
who we're in the organization before
the Hay chamberlain bill was passed.
Senator Borah bases his opposition
to the militia on the ground that il
failed as a body to take the federal
cath and on the ground that a citizen
soldery, drawing pay from the fed
eral government, although under a
divided control is bound to become a
political machine. He will charge
that liberalization is really beneficial
only to the Officers who draw the big
Fay, many of them from both state
end nation, and that liberalization
vas never favored by the rank and
file. He will assert that General
Organ commander of the New YorA
militia, specifically, is drawing pay at
the rate of $4,000 per year.
$61,S9S, 200 for Guard at Stake.
Backing the opponents of militia
liberalization are. the advocates Of
compulsory military service. If they
can destroy the militia and at the
same time prove inability of the reg
ular army to secure its quota of vol
untary enlistments, they believe uni
Versal service is inevitable.
Advocates of militia liberalization
on the other hand will charge that
The present agitation against it is the