New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-11
Militia Scheme q Peril,
Garrison Told Wilson
House Charmans Substitute Deludes the People and
Offers No Reliance in War Said Secretary,
Defending Connentas

Washington. Feb. 10. The CORE
spondence between Secretary Garrison
and tho President, which began on Jan
uary =. follows:
January u, 1916.
"Ny Dear Mr. President:
In my Judgment we are facing
critical juncture With respect % the
military nart Of the national defence
programme.
81 am convinced that unless the ait
uation is dealt with promptly and ef-
fectiyely we can indulge in no reason
nblc expectation OF any acceptable re
suit
so far as tho militia y part Of ma
t.oual defence is concerned. there can
be no honest or worthy solution which
does not result IN national forces
under the exclusive control ana
authority OF the national government.
Any other solution Is illusory and not
real: is apparent and not substantial
There is a perfectly legitimate held
of discussion and debate as 10 the
means OF obtaining these national
forces. The proportion thereof ihat
should be regular standing army that
should be organized reserves OF the
regular standing army, or should De
drawn from the body Of citizens ior
shorter periods Of national service than
those in the regular standing army, are
all legitimate and proper matter for
consideration. analysis and discussion
State System National Weakness.
"But there is absolutely no dissent
from the military standpoint, from the
conclusion that the only measure OF
national defence that possesses any
yirture Is one which produces national
forces. From the beginning of the gov
ernment TO this time, excepting during
periods of actual war, the acknowl-
edged weakness and defect Of the stu
alton arose out OF the lack of any sys-
tenn producing these Federal forces
The situation was rendered worse by
the presence OF state troops, raised,
Offered, trained and governed by the
states. that were assumed TO be a mill
tary reliance for the nation, when, IN
fact. they are not and can never be
made to be. Under the Constitution OF
the United States these state troops
must always be governed, Offered and
trained by the respective states.
The very first line OF cleavage,
therefore. which must be encountered
and dealt with by the student Of the
situation is between reliance upon a
system Of state troops. forever subject
70 constitutional limitations which rem
der them absolutely insecure as re-
lance for the nation, or reliance upon
national forces raised, offcered, trained
and controlled By the national authori-
ties. Upon this subject there does not
exist. and there cannot legitimately
exist, any difference Of opinion among
those VINO are uHolaNotn anu " Nv De-
lieve IN real national security and de-
fence.
The policy recommended 20 you.
and adopted by you. squarely placed
the nation upon the sure foundation OF
national forces. II that policy is made
effective By legislation there will be
secured TO the country for the first
time real. stable foundation for the
military par, OF It's national defence.
II. however. instead thereof. policy
IS adopted. based upon the state troops
A. the main reliance Of this country