The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-02-21


| WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Why 1t
is inadvisable to build upon the state
militia an adequate military policy
for the nation can be briefly told.
The constitution of the United
States contemplates two classes OF
troops: State troops and national
troops-state troops for state pur-
poses-national troops for natlonal
purposes a provision, howev-
err, that state troops may be used for
quasi-national purposes in certain
contingencies.
The constitution sets forth exact
ly what the national government can
and cannot do for the militia. The
states, under the constitution, must
appoint the officers and must have
full authority for the government
and training of the militia.
The state authorities can disband
the militia at any time; can keep
100 or 900 or 100000 state troops
without any reference to the needs
or desires of the national govern
ment. The states can appoint and
often do appoint to high position in
the militia men devoid of military
knowledge and training.
The forces for the defense of the
nation must be under the control of
the nation. Military organization
and military operations require aD-
solute unity of authority. RESPONSE
bility and control.
To think of resting the defense
of the nation upon an aggregation
of forty-eight little, armies over
which the national government has
not and cannot obtain control, is to
think of something practically I'M
thinkable.
False claims are made that the
militia can be made a federal force.
These claims are baseless in fact.
| I. is impossible for the national
government, by passing military
pay bill, to bride away from the
states a jurisdiction given to the
states by federal constitution.
| Such bribery of jurisdiction is just
gress of the United States to make
an appropriation of 100000 to
the state of Kentucky for good roads
provided the state send to the senate
OF the United States as its represen-
tatives, John Jones and James
Smith. There is a distinct effort
to confuse the public mind and make
it believe the militia can be made a
national force. This is a preposter-
Gus effort willfully to fool the
American people.
| My condemnation of the militia as
national dependence is a condem-
nation of the system and not of the
personnel. The rank and file of the
militia for the most part is made UP
of fine, patriotic men who wish 10
iprepare themselves to serve the ma
tion and are in the militia because
it is the only present existing mill
tary land force in the United States
outside of the regular army.
Most of the persistent and PERM.
cious opposition to the creation o.
a real national force OF citizen sol
diers for the defense of the nation
comes from persons purporting 70
represent the rank and file OF the
militia. | doubt whether they dc
represent the rank and file OF tn,
militia
| notice that most of these oppos.
ing individuals are persons having q
sselfish interest by reason of their
employment in life. in seeing to il
that the militia is made the only re
cipient of support rendered by the
national government TO. citizen sol
diers. Their opposition is TO be in
serpreted in light of this fact.
Nearly every disaster OF the revolu
tionary war and of the war of Isl:
was largely due to dependence upoI
the military system. George Wash
ington's main dependence in III.
revolution was The continental army
a force separate from the militi
and absolutely under the control o
the national government.
Ii man is honest minded \,
must accept the logical consequence
CT his views. II he thinks the arm,