New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-12

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Why are those sections Of the Cham
berlain and Hay bills providing pay for the
organized militia of the various states re-
garded as pork" by many newspapers and a
portion Of the public?
The Senate bill provides that enlisted men
shall receive 25 per cent OF the initial pay
pay without increase for length of service,
etc. Of the corresponding grade in the United
States Army for attendance at fortyeght
drills of at least one and one-haf hours
duration. with a proportionste amount for
a smaller number OF drills, less than twenty
four In the case of private this would
mean maximum of $40 a year.
In the New York guard private IS now
required 10 attend one drill week, of two
hours duration. from October until the end
Of May. This would amount approximately
20 thrty-two drills. During this period there
would, in the average regiment, be about
eight extra drills, parades, Inspections or re-
views. Besides this there from ten days
to two weeks at camp duty in the summer
and a day on the state rife range.
II should be remembered that every even
ing man drills means that that entire even
ing is taken. The drills. as a rule, are from
Is or $3.50 until 10 or 1880 p. m.
A non-commssioned officer IS required, in
addition to the drills mentioned above. TO
attend on many nights other than drill nights
and to perform much additional service. This
service is to-day rendered At an expense TO
the enlisted men for dues. carfsre etc, OF
about :l5 to $50 year, depending upon the
organization to which he belongs.
Commissioned officers arc required 10 de-
vote very considerable proportion Of their
spare time 10 the service. Once week they
attend drill; once a week they attend head
quarters night, when the paper work of their
organizations and tho details OF administra-
tion are covered and schools Of instruction
bel oft han 81
10 be present on still n third night for one
purpose or another Besides this work at
their srmories. the officers to-day must spend
much time IN study.
In the coast artillery corps. for instance,
an officer is required to have working
knowledge OF the annual instruction order,
coast artillery drill regulations, gunners' in
Istruction for the piece 10 which his company
Is assigned; small arms firing regulations.
manual OF interior guard duty, infantry drill
regulations. field service regulations, mil
itary hygiene, state and United States reg
ulations and military law. An officer must
keep himself brushed up on everything indi-
Gated and must pass series of cNamina-
tons in order 10 retain his commission. as
we'll as an extended professional examina-
tion for each promotion.
The writer during the week of April 10 to
10 actually devoted the following amount Of
time TO military duties:
Nine hours at the armory of his organiza-
n,
armory, and approximately four hours in
study, total Of sixteen hours This is Sc
lected as a fair average week.
An officer is under an expense Of from $3.50
10 $500 for uniforms and equipment, and ay
eraGcs an expenditure from his own pocket
OF from 500 TO $500 a year. conseryatively
stated, depending upon his organization. Com
pauy commanders, in addition to this, are
held pecuniarily responsible for all state and
governmental property issued TO their com
mands, which is always of a value of several
thousand dollars.
1t is proposed by the Senate bill 70 give
second lieutenants $3.50 a year, first lieu
tenants $500 year. and captains and higher
officers $500 n year. Few citizens would be
willing 20 spend an equivalent amount Of
time and labor IN civil employment for
similar wage. The guardsman has done this
for years for nothing. and paid for the priv-
lege, besides. IL rs easy. indeed, to sit in
q comfortable leather chair and theoriZe, but
very few OF the adverse critics of the guard
would be willing to give up all or most, Of
their vacations year after year, as the men
do now. Many of our better citizens y" are
unwilling 10 have their pleasures curtsiled
or their evenings interfered with by the reg
ular call Of military duty.
The writer does not lose sight of the claim
that forty eight little state armies" should
not be paid from the national Treasury. True,
II no equivalent were rendered the nation.
Outside Of the regular army and navy the
guard to-day furnishes the only trained or
partially trained. body Of men in the country.
In the Spanish war most of the officers, and,
it IS not too much to say, most of the men
outside OF the regular army had received
previous training in the guard. The guard
has been chiefly Instrumental IN keeping the
military spirit alive among us. Whatever
were the faults OF the militia in Revolution
airy times, II being favorite occupation to
visit the sins Of the great great l. grandfath-
fHFAn NhAH.