Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-21
HARD FIGHT IN PROSPECT
OVER NATIONAL GUARD
Chief OF STAFF Scott Encounters Wig
orous DISCRIMINATION by Mem
berS or House Committee.
HIS CONCLUSIONS QUESTIONED
Senate Subcommittee Decides to Re-
call Him, and Also to Ask Major
General Wood to Appear again.
Subject Brought Up In Senate.

w > III y & r o y. December 20
sharp controversy in Congress over the
future of the National Guard i'm the
Federal military system was fore
*ladowcd to-day at hearings before
committees of both the House and
Senate.
Major-Gcnoral Scott, chief Of staff.
encountered vigorous cross. cxamina-
ton by several members of the House
Military Committee when he touched
upon results Of the mobilization Of the
state troops for border duty as shown
in the general staff report conclu-
Sions drawn from the figures to sun
port tho contention that The guard sys-
TEN Is inefficient and unreliable. were
promptly questioned. and ii was indi-
Gated that the head OF tho army would
face searching questioning Tomorrow
when he continues his statement
The Senat" subcommittee in charge
Of tho Chamberlain universal training
bill decided to recall General Scott who
already has presented tho report on
mobilization in fun TO that committee
and Major-Gcneral Leonard Wood.
comma ndinE the Eastern Department
who described the mobilization as a
tragedy" in his direct hearing before
the committee. Both officers have
been asked to appear for cross-exam-
nation by Senator Blair Lee "a cham
pion or the National Guard.
In preparation for the cross-csam-
ination. IT is understood that staff Of
ncers familiar with mobilization Will
be present and prepared to submit the
original reports from the inspectors.
including names of the organizations
examined which the summary did not
give
The House committee did not so into
tho question of universal military scr
vice. recommended by tho general staff
as General Scott had not reached that
portion OF his statement at the close
Of the days session
GROSS AND HARDING
OUTLINE THEIR VIEWS
Before the Chamberlain committee
however Howard II Gross. Of Chicago
president, and Edward Harding. Of
New York city, representing tho Uni
Ncrsal Military Training League. out
lined their views They wiz bc fol-
lowed tomorrow by members %. tho
Chamber OF Commerce OF TIA. United
States and later by certain officers and
enlisted men OF tn. National Guard.
al VI "HbUi arc expected 10 SnEpprt
the recon mendations OF the general
stan for a compulsory scrvIc" system
Senator Underwood. OF Alabama. in
Jcctcd the univcrsnl-service discussion
into "A debate In the senate during the
day. asserting that he did no, favor
compulsory military service in time OF
peace.
When General Scott. before the
House committee, quoted from the
mobilization report 10 show that out
of an enrolled strength of 81. coo men
in certain units OF the guard called
Tor border duty, only 5000 actually
were available for the Federal service
he was asked whether it was fair TO
judge the National Guard system on "a
mobilization Of what was in reality
the old organized militia. The general
admitted the act did not go into effect
until after the call was made. but
reiterated his opinion that completion,
OF the new organization would produce
little better results.
Representative Tilson. Of Connect
cut. who commanded a guard regiment
on the border, asked If the order that
men with dependent families be- dts
charged was mo, enough TO disorEan-
ize any military organizations"
That order was issued by the Sec
rotary OF War. and cannot discuss
its merits" General Scott said
He explained later that the secre-
iary issued no orders OF such q char
actcr without discussion with the chief
OF staff
READS FIGURES on NATIONAL
GUARD RECRUITING
When the general read figures on
Nat oil a
only $4,000 men We're collected in four
months active work throughout the
country. and that at a cost OF more
thai $50 q man. lust to enroll him.
not 10 equip him." Representative
Greene interrupted. Was this not after
the young volunteer knew he was 10
see no active service. but merely to
do border police duty" he asked
1T was to carry out orders by the
President Of the United states to meet
an emergency" General Scott said
'Oh! yes. that's the way /, reads
Representative Greene said, but that's
not the way the men on the border
looked at 1t, or the young men back
home"
we cannot rely for our defense on
system of a kind where that would
be possible" General Scott said. LET
me say also that ] have especially
asked you TO understand that | am not
discussing the men. but the system"
Did not Congress show that il real
lied these very weaknesses of the
old system" demanded Representative
Hull. when it reframed 1t in the ma
tional defense act
no military man thinks there will
he any great improvement under the
new system" General Scott replied.