Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-04-05

1t does fronth body az the citizens OF
the states, that It did not carry with
Il 10 the riot the coloring and senti-
nent Of the community from which it
was called. Il is natural and inevit-
able that this should be so. They eth
err go there In sympathy with the riot
or they 60 there thoroughly prejudiced
against the rioters, according to the
feeling OF the community from which
they came.
Cites Famous West Virginia Case.
1.-TWO years ago was ON q committee
to Investigate the actions OF the ma
t1onal guard with reference to the riot
ing in West Virginia. / found upon
investigation that this national guard
went to the scene OF the riot as the
strongest kind of partisans; that that
partizanship and feeling was exhibited
in the most remarkable way. Among
other things, after the clubbing and
shooting was over, they arrested hun
dreds Of rioters, improvised court
martial composed of the soldiers who
had been shooting at the working men
and tried these men before that kind
of court and sentenced large num-
bers of them in groups and bodies to
the penitentiary in violation of every
principle Of American law, of common
justice and decent humanity. They did
this at a time when the courts we're
open and when there was no reason
why the question should not have been
tried before the court with a july. 4
ask you to read a report which I made
upon this subject being senate report
No. 321, Sixty-third congress second
session. observed at the time that al
most every national guard which took
any notice of this matter, either indi-
vidually or otherwise, seemed to APP
prove the conduct of the national guard
in West Virginia. 1 could only explain
it in one way and that was that these
men, given this tremendous power and
authority, with the local prejudices and
passions thoroughly aroused in them,
lost their sense of justice ana
the true conception of American insti-
buttons.
Figures Not FIattering..
"Now, so long as the constitution
and the laws impose upon the national
guard this duty in the states, so long
l shall refuse to accentuate or enlarge
the membership or its powers. | shall
do so first because / think it extremely
dangerous and menace to our institu-
tions and second because I think such
attitude and such practices necessarily
involve the guard in the politics of the
state and thereby render them unfit
and inefficient for true soldiership.
There are many other reasons which l
might cite, some of which expect to
refer to in debate. and shall be glad
to send you a copy of my remarks. But
let me call your attention briefly to
some facts disclosed by the official re-
ports Of the war department with ref
erence to the national guard. The Of
fetal reports show that in 1915, 564 Of
ficers and 1882 men were absent from
the annual inspection. During the year
1914 the average number OF men abb
sent from each weekly drill was 63,201
or nearly so per cent. According to
the report OF the war department there
is now a total shortage Of $1,352,761 OF
issued to the national guard
for. There are other fea-
lures Of this report which I do not care
TO quote but much more unpleasant
than the above. Now, shall we put in
at the rate OF from fifty to seventy-five
million dollars a year additional upon
the theory that we are giving the peo-
pie real preparedness.
What President Said Of Guard.
IF you say to me that these facts
DO not apply to the Idaho national
guard I do not enter upon discussion
Of that at all. I would gladly concede
it and take great pride in the fact il
1t were established as a fact. But
must take the reports Of the country as
a whole and must cote for the coun-
try as q whole Ia this situation, and
/ know that the reports of the nation
al guard for the last 10 years would |
not justify any man who win care to
study these reports In going further in |
this experiment.
II regret exceedingly to md myself
in disagreement with you. 1t is un- /
pleasant because / have no reason to I
doubt either the sincerity or public I
spirit with which you urge this pro-
position. But 1t is a matter about I
which 1 have very positive views. 1t I
ls up to me to vote. / am not by any /
means sure thaA If you were In my |
place and had studied the matter from |
4 wholly disinterested standpoint not /
being unconsciously controlled by your
with the very splendid
body of men and taking the whole mat
ter into survey that you would not |
vote precisely as intend to vote
Let me In conclusion quote the Ian
guage OF the president in his speech
1t New York. Jan. 81, 1916:
" You know. gentlemen, that under
The constitution sof the United States
The national guard is under the direc-
lion of more than two score states;
hat it is not permitted to the nation
u government directly to have a voice
n Its development and organization; /
and that only upon occasion of actual /
INVASION has the president of the Unit I
"a GAafns q NJ, r.ir1nt "a . 81. 4hn..e, 49,. i