Arizona republican., 1916-04-14
COURT 0F INQUIRY
 WOULD SOLVE THE
 GUARD PROBLEM

Tt seems to me that the only way in which the present demOraliZed condi- tion of the National Guard of Arizona can be accounted for and remedial measures taken. will be through the calling of court of inquiry empow- cred to conduct a thorough investi- gatiOn of the affairs of the militia and to make recommendations for the cor rection of the causes contributing to it's present state"
 It was Tom l.. Edens who was talk ing yesterday to g reporter for The Republican,. Edens is a man quail fled to speak of the National Guard He served his time as q member of the National Guard of Arizona as a mem Der of Co. A. He has attended sev- eral state encampments and he re- tired to the reserve list with the rank of first sergeant.
 T am not criticising the National Guard as an organization" continued Mr Edens, but l am sure that there must oe cause or causes for the present condition of the guard in Arizona The
 
 politics. only in this way can the most efficient officers and men be se- cured. When the National Guard be- comes q political organization, or when politics plays any part in the conduct of it's affairs, it's efficiency is i'm paired or destroyed
 "A court of inquiry is what is really needed ,l.l consist of about five former National Guard officers, appointed by compe- tent and proper authority, say, the gov ernor or adjutant general These five should appoint four others to be of their body. They should go into every detail of the affairs of the guard, from the governor down, and if they did their work right and well. they would be able 10 find the real cause for the present demoralized condition of the guard as a whole.
 My ambition is to see the guard so conducted that enlistments will be at a premium and q waiting list of ap- pllcants who cannot De taken in until there are vacancies. The National Guard, properly conducted will be an organization that will at once appeal to the patriotism of the best class of young men.
 Ordinary military procedure should govern the militia. The general staff should not assume arbitrary powers. such as that of placing an officer who ! has offended, on the unassigned list. | know of no such thing as an unas- { signed list in any other state than Ari- 1 Zona. It is the product of the general staff and would not be recognized else where. It gives opportunity for the ex- ercise of petty jealousies and often re- suits in highly efficient officers being relieved of their active duties on the smallest pretext
 "A court of inquiry would be able to determine whether or not good cause exists for a man or an officer being placed on the unassigned list Right fully, q man who has offended to the extent that he should be relieved of his duties for an indefinite period has of tended sufficiently. so that he should he removed from the guard. For slight offenses. reprimand or short time suSpensicn might be necessary. but placing Il man on the una assigned list as at present. places that man in a position where his usefulness as q glardsman is gone and where he is still amenable to the rules and dis clpline of an organization with which he is in reality not connected Let us have court of inoUiry. by all means.