Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-12-11
|VIRCINrAkS COMPLAIN ATTEMPT tlT SUICIDE.
Troops From Old Dominion on Texan
Border Allege They Have Been
Disseminated Against.

A stir has been created in Vir-
ginia military circles by Company l.,
First Virginia Regiment, Lynch
burg organization, in laying before
Governor Stuart charges that the
War Department officials are dis
eliminating against the Virginia
militiamen in the selection of State
troops to be sent home for demohi-
| lization. Similar charges have been
made to Senator Swanson and Rep
resentative Glass, who went to the
War Department and asked for an
explanation. Mr.. Glass stated after
ward that the War Department gave
an explanation which was reasona-
bly, satisfactory.
The Virginia troops, like the Fifth
Maryland Regiment, were among the
first to go to the border when the
State militiamen were mobillzed IN
Texas. The Virginians, like the Fifth
MARYLAND, are still on the border,
and are growing as restless as the
Marylanders. Senators Martin and
Swanson and practically every mem
ber of the Virginia delegation in the
House have called at the War De-
partment and exerted all the in
1uencc at their command to have
the Virginia boys recalled.
On Saturday Company L wired
Governor Stuart and charged that
the rule laid down by the War De-
partment that troops would be or
dered home in the order that they
went to the border has been vlolat-
ed, so far as the Virginians are con-
cerned The telegram says, in part:
"On Saturday night the First
Iowa Infantry was ordered home.
This regiment has not only served
on the Ooruer d Siio' |Si '~S
time than the Virginia troops, but
they are located within Il half=mile OF
the Virginia camp, which proves be-
yond question that the location could
not have been a deciding factor IN
allowing these troops to return
ahead of us. We have borne the
brunt of practically six months oil
desperately hard military training
without complaint We have been al
iudged among the most ef1lcient
troops on the border. In return we
earnestly feel that we have the rIght
to expect that some strenuous act'on
he taken Immediately in our behaIf
against what we feel is a great. IN
justice"
Governor Stuart is asked to use
all his influence to have the virginia
troops brought home. Virginia Mill
tarv officers are inclined to look up
on the message making charges
d. oainst the Federal War Department
&c ins,,borlination, and while the
m;,it;amen are under Federal con-
troll it is possible that an inquiry Will
no made into the matter
II is understood that the War De-
n,rtment officials, in explaining cases
,,hora the rule about the return OF
state troops has not been rigidly aa,
hered to, say in several instances II
WAS done to keep the best troops on
the border-troops that were nee"Po
and to allow the less etlielent 10
go home.
REPRESENTATIVE Glass, of Lynch
burr after his call at the war De-
nartment, expressed the opinion tna'
tba Virginia troops would get their
rc+urn-home orders by January ae
~ ,.tcst The Virginia delegation
perhaps, is bringing more pressure
to bear upon the War Department
for the withdrawal of the Virginia
=, ;Iitiamen than any other delegation
in Congress. There is hardly day
that some member of the delegation
does not call to see Secretary OIL
Uar Baker about the matter.