Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-16
FEBRUARY 10 1916
THE NATIONAL GUARD AGAIN.

Tho Journal Is IN receipt Of a let
Ter from Adiutant General II. r. Her
ring Ia which he Says the national
guard Is using every effort within its
power to have the members Of the
guard made as far as possible federal
troops aud ne calls attention 70 a
joint resolution, introduced In the
senate by Gore. Of Oklahoma, proyid-
ing for a constitutional amendment.
IN lieu OF the fifteenth paragraph Of
section eight OF article one, as follows:
'rhe oongrea4 shall have power to
provide for calling forth the militia 70
execute tho laws OF the union, Hup-
press instruction, rcpel inYasiona and
carry on war
Tho amendment suggested ~ VI
tel one, but almost worthless unlosa
the sixteenth paragraph Of tho same
article and section IN also amended.
The president was right IN not per-
hitting a member OF hia cabinet 10
dictate what his attitude should be-
toward congress. But Mr. Garrison
was right about the utter futility OF
nsing the militia In the countryr
schome Of national defense. certainly
II II should be found that an often
rivc ~ the best defense, as frequently
IN found true.
Before there can be anything like
satisfactory liberalization Of the state
militia provision must be made for
overcoming the handicap OF tho s.N-
teeuth paragraph OF section eight of
article one Of the constitution which
provides that congress shall have
power TO govern such part Of the
militia uA may be employed in the
service OF the United states "rcscr,
ing To the states respectively, the
appointment OF the Officers, and the
authority of training the militia nc
cordlng 10 the discipline prescribed
BY congress"
Mr. Garrison, IN his correspondence
Win the president, mys
"The adoption of such policy
would serve To- dendc the people into
believing that the subject had been
settled and therefore required 40
further constellation upon their part
II would therefore, In my judgment
De infinitely worse than an entire
failure OF an legislative enactment
upon the subject The latter would
at least leave 1t open FOR future set
tlcment'
with the sixteenth paragraph un-
repealed. there can be no efficiency
iu the militia, The appointment Of
officers can not be- left 60 governors
OF the various states and the states
can not be depended upon to give the
drIll and the discipline necessary for
the making Of even reasonably III sol
dicrs. There ,s too much politics IN
an OF our state governments for such
plan to be feasible but We must all
agree that Garrison Is wrong In re-.
jecting what can be had because It
Is not as good az what the country
should have but can not got.
AIR. Garrison doals body blow
when he says the proposition to vote
money for STRENGTHENING the guard is
popular with members Of congress,
because 1T appeals 10 the direct per
sonal interest OF the members. In
other words IL is little moro pork
FOR The barrel That Us the real reason
for the failure OF am adequate sys-
tenn Of national military prepared.
MESS Tho national guard officers
want the salaries and the honors
which othorw isc would 20 To trained
mon mostly graduates of Weat Point
appointed by the federal government
and the congressman want the votes
hut as We can get nothing better. AN
We con da nom Be- o. get behind tho
national guard and try - make the
most efficient nghtng force OF which
such Organization is capable