Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-09-23
NATIONAL GUARD AIM AND DEEDS
OUTLINED IN GEN. IOHNSON'S PAPER
Head of Militia Explains Foundation for Civilian Training
Value of Guard to Territory EmphasizedHoW Hawaii Has
Jumped to the Front

TO make good us claims OF efficiency.
In order to understand the National
Guard as II stands today, 1t is neces-
sary to know something of the pro-
visions OF the new law. | quote now
| from an excellent resume OF that part
of the act which concerns the National
Guard, which appeared in late maya
zine article:
Must Be Up To Standard
Under the old law the Organized
Militia OF the different states was re-
quested' TO adopt the physical stand
ards of the United States army, and
was allowed great latitude in the mat
ter of discipline and drill, whereas
the National Guard is now required
to conform to the standards of the
regular army, in physical qualifica-
tions and discipline, which includes
training and drill. If the men are
found physically unfit they are net al
lowed to continue in positions which
In time OF war they would not be
able to satisfactorily occupy.
They are also required to observe
more carefully their obligations TO the
government, and the general progress
of each Organization is continually
kept In evidence by means of thor
ough and careful system of reports
and records Which supplement the an
nual inspection. The old requirement
of "a drills Zone and one-half hours
each1 during the year. with field train
ing in camp for one week. has been
increased to 4S Of these 10 hour
drills. with field service training OF
fifteen days.
While the increased benefit of
double the amount Of time spent in
training is readily apparent, the In
crease of the field service period was
perhaps the most important feature
Of this change, as rifle and pistol tar
get practise occur during the field
service period Under the old law the
time was so short that the entire
Years training in this important
branch Of the work was usually con-
fined to from one TO two days, ahd
every man was pushed rather than
guided through the course OF instruc-
tison With the additional time now
allowed, careful target practise is not
only possible, but more probable.
Officers Carefully Chosen
The qualifications for enlistment
have also been made to conform with
those Of the regular army. The meth
cd of choosing officers Is much i'm
proved, as they are now not only APP
pointed from officers and members
OF the National Guard, but from off
GERS active or retired, and former of.
ficers of the United States Army,
Navy and Marine Corps; graduates
of the United States Military and
Naval Academies, and graduates of
schools, colleges and universities
where military science is taught I'M
der the supervision of officers Of the
regular army
appointment Is made after APP
plicants pass an examination as to
their moral, physical and professional
qualifications, before board of three
regular or guard officers appointed by
the Secretary of war under rules and
regulations established by the War
Department. Officers may be removed
for various military offenses, or by
the recommendation of a board of Of
ficers appointed to pass on their
qualifications or moral character
The National Guard Here
To turn from the National Guard
IN general to the National Guard in
which we are most interested, let us
see what the military forces of Ha-
waii now include. AT the present time
the roster of troops of the National
Guard or Hawaii show four regiments
and one separate company of infantry,
one troop of cavalry, one field com-
pany OF signal corps. one company of
engineers. two companies of coast ar
tfllery, and the necessary proportion
of sanitary troops, organized into de
tachments for each regiment. An in
fantry regiment now includes band
and machine gun company, together
with the necessary transportation,
which is organized as a supply com
pany. There are now Is companies
TO a regiment, instead Of 12 as under
the old scheme of organization.
On June 80 of this year the return
Of strength of the National Guard of
Hawaii showed 4S11 enlisted men and
2S3 officers. There have been slight
changes since then, but these figures
are approximately correct at the pres
ent time. However, II is much better
to compute the strength of the guard
by organizations. rather than by per-
sonnet. Five thousand men means
nothing at all, but four regiments,
with the proper auxiliary troops,
means definite measure Of prepar-
edness. Organization means every
thing mere numbers nothing.
preparedness" In Islands
The National Guard of Hawaii as il
stands today, has an influence
throughout the territory which is more
than purely military. Hawaii's move
, ment for preparedness has been so
widespread and so far-reaching that
all classes and many interests have
been touched. Labor conditions have
been improved in many cases and the
general Influence on certain classes
has proved morally beneficial. With
the passage of the pay bin the fl
nancial benefits both individually and
collectively are appreciable. From
the standpoint of desirable publicity
for the islands. the National Guard is
in a class by itself.
Before taking up the above mem
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