Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-04-20
REQUIRE MILITIA
To TAKE OATH TO
OBEY PRES|DENT
Senate Adopts Amendment to
Army Bill Providing Strict
LIBERALIZATION of Ma
tionaI Guards.
NITRATE SCHEME PASSES
Power Interests Win Fight In
Upper House BY Attach
ing Rider to Military
Measure.

Washington. April Ito further
| strengthen liberalization of the ma
tional guard the Senate today by a
vote of 33 to % amended the army re-
organization bill to require guardsmen
to take an oath to obey the orders of
the president as we'll as the governor
OF their state. The amendment was
presented by Senator Wadsworth, who
said it originated in the national guard
itself.
The chief purpose of the amend
ment is to place national guard SOL
diers primarily in the service of the
United States and ~secondarily in the
service of the state" said Senator
Wadsworth.
Senator Sutherland, republican,
urged adoption of his amendment in
creasing the coast artillery corps at
once to maximum strength.
Our coast defenses have cost SAL
ooo,oOO ana are among the best in the
world he said. But we now have
enough men to man only one-fourth OF
the guns. My mendmen would give
us enough men to man one-half."
\ Borah Attacks Guard.
Senator Borah. republican, attacking
federal pay for the nationa guard,
aroused the Senate today with a charge
mat the $4,000 600 a year now appro-
prlated by the government for the ma
tonal guard was "shamefuly wasted'
and some of it "embezzled."
That's a pretty serious charge"
said Senator Pomerenc, democrat, in
| ~terrupting.
We'll, l make it without any quail
fications," Senator Borah replied, and
he read from war department reports
to show that most of the fund had
been utilized by officers of the ma
tional guard for themselves and that
| the enlisted men had practically no
| benefit of it.
"If senators here Will examine the
| record of these appropriations,' Sen
ator Borah continued, they will hest
| tate about a~ppropriating $50, 600, 900 for
the national guard as it is now pro-
! posed to do. The way the officers of
! tie national guard have been utilizing
the federal fund to themselves, to the
exclusion of enlisted men is perfectly
| shameful and annot be defended ex-
cept for political eXigencies.
Says Bill is Full OF Pork.
I'm this bill you are not preparing
| for war. You are not giving the peo-
! pie what they are expecting to pay for.
| We are filling this bill from beginning
to end with purely political appropria-
| tons and you could not proceed a step
under the guise of national prepared
! ness"
Senators Pomerene and Reed
s%taunchly defended the national guard,
declaring that if there had been irreg-
ularities there were remedies az law.
There may be a thief in the national
guard, but so there have been in the
regular army, ana senators from this
body have been sent to Jail" declared
Senator Reed. But l am not willing
to hear honorable men maligned with
out sufficient provocation. l am not
willing to stan by While his military
committee, acting with the best mo-
tiveS, but advised by regular army Of
ficers who are interested in seeing the
national guard destroyed. get the Sen
ate to pass a bill that would absolutely
destroy the only army in this country
created out of civilians"
Senator Lodge defended the regular
army and declared it was time to stop
casting aspersions upon it.
THE regular army has fought and
won all our battles and is fighting for
US in Mexico today" he said, and /
am sick and tired of hearing it at
tackled"
On a vote, Senator Sutherland's
amendment was defeated.
Sterling to Defense.
Senator Sterling protested against
what he called wholesale charges of
misrepresentation of funds" made by
Senator Borah against the guard. He
said he knew the national guard of
; South Dakota and that it's officers and
men had sacrificed both time and mon
ey.
Though the present adjutant general
was a law partner of his for 10 years,
he had not written the senator a line
about the legislation of protest against
the volunteer army.
Reflections on the national guard Of
ficers Of the country today by Senator
Borah and others in connection with
discussion Of the army bill and init
nations funds had been m%isappropri-
ated, drew forth a strong protest today
from Senator Cummins. He declared
! no more unselfish body of men devoted
themselves to the public service thar
the national guard as he knew it. He
referred especially to the Iowa guard
and commended Adjutant General
4 Logan. as an official of who's fidelity
he would stake his life.
Senator Cummins, republican, said
he was shocked at Senator Borah,s
statements.
II do not believe the charges that
national guard officers nave misappro-
priated the nations money-stolen it
for there Is no moral difference" he
said.
II hin consideration of this bill
should be halted while the Senate as
certains whether officers of the guard
are guilty of such charges
senator Borah in support of his
charge said:
IN oSSotaiItS W tle report or the
war department that in the Ohio ma
tional rifle match in 1911, s13.S92 was
expended on the state rifle team, all
of whom were officers. In the period
from July %, 1911. to September 20,
1912, an officer. a colonel, drew pay
to the amount of s1,411. In the period
from July /. 1911, to September is,
1912, another officer also in the same
state, a colonel, drew pay to the
amount of 81, COL.
In the period from July 80, 1911, to
September l. 1913, a third colonel in
the state drew pay to the amount of
S1,29s. So the entire appropriation Of
apportionment to the state of Ohio for
this year practically went to the Of
fcerS and there is no rennrt that any