Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-01
National Guard Association
Opposes Proposal Of the
Administration.
GEN. FOSTER DECLARES
1T WOULD BE FAILURE
Delegation From the Organization
Appears Before the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee.

The administrations continent
al army plan was vigorously OPP
posed today before the House
military committee by represen-
tatives of the executive commit
tee of the National Guard Asso-
citation. headed by Adjt. Gen. ]. C..
r. Foster of Florida. chairman.
The strongest support for the
continental plan, Gen. Foster said,
came from those who hoped and
believed it would fail and its fail
ure mark a long step toward the
establishment OF some form of
compulsory military service and
training in the United States.
The National Guard. Gen. Foster said.
had been the moving spirit for years
behind efforts to establish an adequate
based on the ideal of citizenry trained
and accustomed to arms in accordance
with the historic sentiment of the peo-
pie. He charged that a propaganda to
discredit the state troops for federal
use had long been in progress, and
had become unusually active during the
last few weeks. Disappearance of gov
eminent equipment loaned to the Texas
state troops, he said. had been magni-
fed into an incident upon which the
country had been asked to pass sweep
ing condemnation upon the whole
service.
Denies Selfish Unrest.
The speaker declared that the public
had been given the impression that the
guardsmen were seeking a militia pay
bill for their own profit. This was
not true, he said. and read from the
minutes of a conference with Secretary
Garrison to show that the latter had
said he personally would favor the
pay bill if the support of the guard
association were given to the admin
istrations army plans. Mr.. Garrison
explained. however. that he did not
know President Wilson's attitude on
the pay bill proposals and could not
speak for him.
Despite this possibility of strong
support. Gen. Foster said, the guards
men had determined on sober thought
that the state troop system, regulated
and supervised by the federal govern
ment as they believed Congress had
full power to direct, would provide a
better and more adequate and efficient
means of raising and training the por-
ton of the first line army not pro-
vided by the regular establishment.
The members OF the guard, Gen. Fos-
ter said. were in sympathy with pro-
posais to federalize the organization,
regarding Its federal aspects as its
highest duty. In Florida and several
states. he said, the enlistment of a
state soldier bound him to enter the
federal service on call of the Presi-
dent.
Inspections Unfair Basis.
1t was unfair to Judge the efficiency
of the state soldiers on the basis of
annual inspections, Gen. Foster
thought, because the standard by
which they were measured was like
that of the regular army. Since the
guardsmen could give only hours
where the regulars devoted months to
training. he added. it was manifestly
| impossible that they should equal or
closely approach these standards
Gen. Foster said he believed the con-
| tinental army plan to be impractical
and did not believe the 100000 men
could be enlisted. The warmest advo-
Gates of the plan, he said. admitted that
| it was purely an experiment and he OPP
posed abandoning the we'll established
state troop system for an excursion
| into the realms of chance.
| Gen. Foster said the present guard
could be brought to war strength of
900, 900 in war emergency in two weeks.
He thought it could be largely in
creased in membership even In peace
times II Congress took the steps rec
| commended.
| Representative Nichols asked IL the
witness did not believe the reason that
War Department officials favored the
| continental army plan was because the
department could appoint the officers of
| that force, while 1t could not with the
| guard. Gen. Foster asked to be ex-
cused from answering, but said he per-
| sonally did not believe in the election
! of National Guard officers by the men
! of their commands.
| Local control Of appointment of Ct.
hcers should be retained. he thought.
| but the men selected should be re-
auired to pass rigid examinations as to
| their qualifications to command, pre-
| avfp