The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-08-30
Until Danger Of Trouble
Is All Passed.
BY ITS PRESENCE ON BORDER
The Guard Is Winning BIoOdIess
Victories Daily, Says
Secretary Baker.
HOPEFULNESS"

Washington, Aug. 26.-The Ma
tional Guard will be retained on the
Mexican border until 1t can be with
drawn without again endangering
American lives and property. Secre-
tary Baker so declared the Admins
tration's policy here in answering a
score of letters from many parts of
the country complaining that the
State troops were being held in SER
vice after the emergency for which
they were called out apparently had
passed
In general the complainants,
whose names were withheld, alleged
that border service was entailing
loss financially on mlitiamen and
hardship on their families. The
Secretary replied to all those seem
! ing to merit attention.
BY it's presence on the border, he
wrote to one, the guard is winning
bloodless victories daily" He de-
clared that Americans resident along
the international line were enjoying
peace and security they could not
know without the military forces to
protect them.
The department appreciates. ar
Baker said in another letter, the
fact that a call for military service
upon militia organizations must in
eyitably present cases of hardship
He added:
"The emergency, however. which
required this call for the militia was
one of grave character, affecting
the safety and lives of citizens o.
the United Statesmen, women and
children. The presence of the mill
tia on the Mexican border has re
stored order and eli en- a higher dc
gree of safety ald security to the
lives of our people in that troubled
country than they nave had for A
long time. The militia, therefore.
is performing valuable service;
and the fact that this service is be-
ing performed without active mill
tary operations entailing loss of life
! to our soldiers is a cause of con-
graduation and happiness.
Referring to the elaborate and ex-
tensive training the militiamen are
receiving under supervision of reg
ular army officers. the Secretary ex-
pressed the opinion that it would fit
them to act in time of war or other
emergency as a supporting arm, or
second line, for the regular army,
furnishing an asset to national pre-
paredness that could not have been
obtained otherwise.
Clearly. so soon as a restored
state of order on the border justi-
fies it, these troops will be returned
to their homes" he wrote. ''Iu the
meantime it is not possible for the
department to say how soon such
situation will arise, although the
Mexican situation is one of increas-
| Ing
In another letter he called atten-
tion to steps taken to relieve guards
men where there is unusual hard
ship resulting from their being call
ed into the service.
II am filled with admiration for
the spirit with which the militia has
/ tnn col n "a
land with which they are perform
ing an important and necessary SER
vice to their country"
To another correspondent the Sec
rotary explained that the National
Guard was maintained for just such
eXigencies as that which now exist
on the border and that 1t had cost
the Government many millions to
prepare and keep it ready for such
emergencies. He pointed out that
National Guardsmen were fully
aware of the duties they undertook
when they enlisted.
All of the letters emphasized the
scientific and highly successful man
ner in which the mobilization of the
National Guard had been handled
by army officers. AS evidence of this
attention was directed to the low
sick rate and to the adequate meas
ures taken to insure proper sanitary
conditions and provide ample and
varied food supplies.