The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-21
FEDERALIzrNG THE MILITIA.
The Plan Would Give the Country =
Real Citizen Army.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SrN-Str; ]
have read the summarized views OF the
experts. as YOU call them. printed on the
hrst page of THE SrN Of February IL.
in relation to the shortcomings OF the
militia. gather from the views
therein set forth that these gentlemen
rave in mind the militia OF olden
days. Evidently they are not basing
their expert opinion on the use of the
militia or National Guard proposed to
Congress by the National Guard OF the
United states through the executive
committee Of the National Guard Asso-
citation. II 20, then their conclusions
are wrong.
No guardsman Of long years of cx-
perience will debate the question OF past
incf'ciency and defects In certain States
Of the Union Tho National Guard Is
fully alive TO past failures. but, mark
you. tho National Guard Of the United
States has increasingly asked Congress
for tho past twelve years ca do those
things which In an enlarged sense " IL
now asking and which The committees
Of Congress now are constrained 10 do
under the force Of public opinion. II is
acknowledged. 7 am informed. that the
military committees Of Congress- frankly
admit that the only sensible plan Of
fered TO Congress for the creation Of n
citizen army a come from the National
Guard. Let II be borne In mind that
the very sensible plan now offered TO
Congress- is only the perfection or plans
which the officers OF the Guard have
been urging FOR the past decade.
A good many socalled experts ar"
TRYING TO confuse the situation. II is
therefore NOT surprising that when
within the past ten days there was pre-
scented TO the committees OF congress
ny the officers Of the National Guard
Association 81 the United States a
rational and comprehensive plan Of
f~ederaliz,ng within reasonable bounds
the militia Of the United States that
plan appealed 20 Congress. The ideas
thus presented and fathered by the Off
GERS Of the National Guard have In mind
"a militia system undcr Federal control.
poses. which will give the United states
a citizen army capable OF being used in
a constitutional sense. and provide a
citizen army which will offset the neces-
sity Of a large standing army.
a great many spurious and NONSENSE
cal reasons rave been utilized IN trying
TO fix the fact that the National Guard
of the several states IL composed OF for
ty-eight different units and under "A sep
arate control of forty-eight Governors.
All this Is beside the issue. Because a
mili.taman lives in New York. Pennsyi-
vania- ohio. indian or California does
not lessen his national character. and he
has always been led to believe. and still
believes. that State lines DO not en-
compass and define his patriotism as
being any less national In character
and every militiaman Joins the Guard
with tho desire OF ultimately. II neces-
sity demands. being a soldier OF the
Union.
With Federal pay Justly desired, with
n cooperation and Federal control when
the times demand IL and with coopera
ton and instruction by officers of the
regular army. the federaiized National
Guard. with a proper amendment to the
Constitution giving The power to the
President 20 send II anywhere II may
he desired TO send II, will give ths
United States a real citizen army tina,
can be Increased to tue extent that ron.
ditions warrant, n IL q good deal bet.
ter that this country shall have this
kin OF an army thar one that shall
IN a sense he built up by the centralized
Government at Washington to 4 poin,
Vet not Thought of in the ideals of this
nation.
The militia Of the fu'ure az planned
with It's aspirations and it's patriot.
impulses. and its devotion 10 ideals fol-
n citizen army. will not be the much
abused force Of the days OF the Revolt
ton. OF 1879 and 1861, Notwithstanding
that some officers Of the army anc
Others attempt in their way 20 to de.
scribe II. e. Il. D%ouuHERry.
Major-Gcn"ral. National Guard OF Penn.
~sylvania. Retired.
WiLHEsRARRv Pa. February ~