The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-15
PAY FOR THE MILITIA.
The Case for the Guard STATED ny u
Hard Working OlRcer.

are those sections Of the ~Chanbcrlair
and Hay bills which provide pay for tn,
organized militia OF the various state,
regarded as pork" by many newspapers
and a portion of the public?
The Senate bill provides That enlisted
men shall receive 25 per cent OF the
initial a tpay without increase for
length of service. &c.) Of the correspond.
ing grade In the United States army fol
attendance at forty-eieht drills Of al
least one and one-half hours duration
with n proportionate amount for q
smaller number Of drills. less than
twenty-four. In the case Of a private
this would mean a maximum OF $40 a
year.
In the New York Guard a private Ia
now required to attend one drill a week
~ two hours duration from October
until the end OF May. This would
amount approximately to ;hirty-two
drills. During This period there would,
In the average regiment. he about eigh,
extra drills. parades. inspections or re-
views. Besides this there are from ten
days 10 two weeks at camp duty In the
summer and n day on the state rife
range. II should he remembered that
every evening a mar drills means that
that entire evening Ia taken. The drills,
az a RUE. are from 8 or :30 until 10
or 10 80 =. NJ.
A non-commiss'oned OFFICER II required.
IN adn'tion 10 the drills mentioned above
to attend on many nights other than
drill nights. and to perform much add
tional service. This service is to-day
rendered NJ ~ expense to the enlisted
men for dues. carfare, &C.. Of about SIS
70 $50 A year. depending upon the or
ganization TO which he belongs.
Commissioned Officers arc required
I" devote a very considerable proportion
or their spare lime TO the service. OnSe
q week they attend drill: once a we1k
they attend n headquarters light. when
the paper work Of their organization
ana the details OF administration are
covered and SCHOOLS or instruction heli.
More OFTEN than not they are required
70 De present nj stNl n third night Tor
one purpose or another Besides this
work at their armories the officers to-
DAY must spend much time IN study.
IN the 'oaA Aruilery corps. Tor IN
stance, an officer is required to have a
working knowledge or the arnua In
s'ruction order coast artillery drill
regulations. gunners' Instruction for the
piece TO which his company II assigned.
small arms hring regulations, manual ~
Interior guard duty. infantry Grill regr-
latl"ns' 1eld service equations, min
tary hygiene, state and United states
regulations and military Jaw. An ON
Ger must keep himself brushed up on
everything indicated and must pass a
series Of examinations IN order to retain
MS commission. IA We'll as an extended
professional examination FOR each pro-
motion.
In the week OF April 10 10 10 I
actual'y devoted the following amount
of time IN military duties: Nine hours
AT the armory' three hours travelling
IN and from 'he arfnory ana approx
nately four hours IN study. a total OF
sixteen hours. This Is selected as a fair
average week.
An officer IL under an expense OF from
1850 to 1900 FOR uniforms and equip
rent' and averages an expenditure from
MS own pocket OF from 500 to
1900 a year. co~nserratively stated. de-
pending upon MS organization. Conn
pany commanders IN addition TO ms ire
neid pecun'arily responsibie Tor ali stare
ana governmental property issued TO
their commands. which IL always or a
Va!ue OF several tnoussnd collars
IL II proposed ny the senate Dill IN
give second Lieutenants 1850 a year.
rIrst L'eutenants s30o a year, and cap
tains and higher omcers $500 a year.
Few c'tizens would be willing 20 spend
an equivalent amount or tim" ana iahor
N a civil employment Tor a similar wage
The guardsnan mas done mis- .or years
Tor nothing. ana pald Tor me privilege
besides. IL II easy indeed 10 st IN n
comfortable leather chaIr m theorize'
but very Few or the adverse critics or the
Guard would he Wiling 70 give up all
or mort OF their vacations year atter
year rs the men do now Many o'
our better cit!zens'tC are unwilling Ia
nave their pleasures curtail"d or the'r
evenings interfcred with by the reGuiar
cali OF military duty.
DO not lose sign OF the claim
that "forty-eight little state armies
should not he paid from the national
treasury: true II no equivalent were
rendered the nation. Outside OF the
regular army and navy the Guard to-
day furnishes the only trained or par
Tally trained body OF men In the coun-
try. In the spanish war most OF the
of,cers ana. II is not 700 much To say.
most or the men OUTSIDE or the regular
army had recelNed previous framing IN
the 'iuard Tho Guard has been chiefly
Instrumental In keeping the military
Spiri' alive among US. Whatever were
IN" faults OF the militia IN Revolution
airy times. " peIns a faVorite
10 visit the sins OF the grea'-gr"at-grand-
'a'hers upon theIr SUCCESSORS IN" iuard
Is to-day constantly growing more EN-
Gent and more effective.
Inc Guard furnishes a splendin Ioun-
cation Tor further progress, ana II the
r'sht OF inc federai autNor,'es |" train
,r., r" r..dn, y. ,n so,h, ,h,s dov,,