New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-29
The Seventies Return

ne OeVcntD ANCtuih
The 9Th Regiment deserved The cordial
welcome given it yesterday on Its return
from the Mexican border. 1t spent five
months there on a service which it should
never have been expected to perform
Tor which its organization and training as
state body had never qualified 1t. 1t
accented manfully a situation created by
mistaken legislation at Washington. IL
discharged its duty-unwelcome and futile
from a rational military point Of view as
that duty was-wth soldierly fidelity. 1t
proved its patriotism, although it knew
that it had been sent on a wild goose mis-
sion. 1t is therefore doubly entitled to the
gratitude Of the community, which has
long appreciated its record Of honorable
service.
There can be no doubt that the regiment
comes back thoroughly disillusoned as to
The practicabiity of the Hay reorganiza-
lion act. i'm so far as that act has sought
TO amalgamate the state guards and the
regulars into a first line army. That
take into account the conditions under
which the state organizations have been
recruited. They are largely composed OF
men perfectly willing to do local and sec
ond line service, but who, because of age,
dependent families and business connec-
ucns. are manifestly disqualified for in
corporation into the first line In time Of
peace. The state guards, as they exist to-
day. are essentially reserve bodies. They
would be properly mustered into the Fed
raj service in case of war. But they
lould never be called on to do the routine
rider duty which falls to the regular es-
oiishment.
Our standing army should be large
enough to protect our borders in time Of
peace-or what passes for peace. If it is
not large enough to do this Git is not large
enough now and it will not be large enough
so long as the Hay act remains on the
statute book, the logical remedy is to be
found not in calling upon second or third
line state bodies. but in providing suff-
cient regular army.
The Hay law has, in fact, been death
warrant served on the National Guard.
The prospect is to-day that the guard or
CARNATIONS will dwindle away through
designations and exbirations of terms of
enlistment. The 7th Regiment has been
on war duty for five months. 1t lost only
three men by death. But its ranks have
been depleted by the discharges of men
with dependent families, and the vacancies
have not been filled up. The peace strength
of the regiment under the new regime is
about 800 men. The enrolled strength is
now put at less than 100 and the actual
strength yesterday was estimated at less
than 1000.
A great effort has been made TO recruit
the National Guard organizations up to
their lew peace strength. But it has
failed dismally. The maximum cannot be
reached under present conditions, unless
some scheme of state conscripton is ap-
piled. Few states have such a system, and
it would be unfair TO apply it unless it
were applied uniformly the country over.
The Hay law is a sham and fraud.
1t obstructs military organization, instead
Of promoting it; and that was undoubt-
edly the intent of its Trainer The dis
patch Of the state guards to the Mexican
border has only demonstrated the foolish
ness Of Mr.. Hays conceptions. 1t has
quickly disrupted the; militia. And that
was fortunate. Otherwise, the country
might have been content TO nruddle along
with the present unavoidable military sys-
tenn. Now that the latter's failure is
patent, Congress may have the grace to
create a real first line Of military defence
RELOCATING TO the second or third line the
state militia organizations, which should be
maintained primarily for state and local
purposes.