Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-31
GEN. WOOD REPEATS
OPINION Of MILITIA
Attacks System Which 0bIiges
Dependence in Emergencies
on National Guard.
LAUDS OFFICERS AND MEN

lAUDS OFFICERS AND MEN
Nal Gen. Leonard Wood command
ing the Department of the East, was
subiected to a long cross-examination
by Senator Blair Lee today on the mob
iIization of the National Guard for bor-
der service, the hearing taking place
before the Senate subcommittee on
universal military service. The officer
reasserted his opinion that the National
Guard system was a vicious and In
defensible military system" but admit
ted that he included in the word "sys-
tenn" much of the War Departments
share in the mobilization.
The method of furnishing supplies
from government arsenals for the
equipment of state troops had com
pletely broken down within ten Gays
after the call was made. Gen WOOD
said. He declared that this was not
the main fault in the system. however,
as, even had supplies been ready, the
men would have been unframed The
officer could see no hope that an eHec-
tive force ever could be built up except
under exclusive federal control, divorced
wholly from the state governments.
Praises Officers and Men.
"The officers and men of the National
Guard are entitled to the highest
credit" Gen. Wood said 1--WE are at
lacking a vicious and indefensible sys-
tenn. I am equally strong against the
volunteer system, which Is subject TO
many of the same faults
Senator Lee asked if Gen. Wood had
entertained the same opinion when
chief of staff, and if his successors in
that office, Maj Gems Wotherspoon and
Scott took the same view.
.1 think that is so,' said Gen. Wood.
.HThen the last three chiefs of staff
have been called upon to administer
system which they looked upon as
vicious and indefensible?' asked Sepa-
tor Lee You think it possible they
could administer a system they so re-
ssrded in an effective and friendly man
ner7"
IT think if you had been at the
mobilization camps you would have
thought 1t was so administered" Gen.
Wood replied
Treated System Fairly.
The officer insisted that the regular
army officers had given the National
Guard system the fairest treatment
that could be desired. Explaining the
feeling of guardsmen coming home
from the border, he said:
They are coming home sadder. but
wiser. They have learned the folly
of the system Of which they were vic
Tins. They had been drugged by
praise. Now they are not going to see
the country leaning on a broken reed.
They were not soldiers when they
reached the border, and to have put
them up against reasonably good
troops would have been murder.
THE system is bad because it leaves
everything to be done in that period of
confusion your questions have so de-
lightfully brought out. The maximum
of change was required when the mini
mum was advisable"
Discusses Machine Guns.
Gen. Wood was drawn aside from the
National Guard discussion into the
question of machine guns. Under the
present organization of the War De-
partment. he said. the country would
never be properly equipped in this re-
gard
He recited tests with the Lewis ma
chine gun, saying that the British and
French armies were being equipped
with these with frantic energy" while
the ordnance bureau was still rejecting
it as unsatisfactory. 1t would be taken
for granted. he said. that nation
struggling for its life would not en-
ploy an Ineffective weapon, virtually to
Snt eACluSlOH OI any OlneF type Oh R0n-
Asked if the ordnance bureau had not
recently again rejected the Lewis gun
after tests, Gen. Wood said the tests
had been conducted by officers unfamiliar
with the handling of machine guns. He
indicated his opinion that a board of line
officers familiar with machine guns
might reach different conclusion. but
refused to make a direct comment on
the ordnance bureau tests.
We'll. L can speak," said Senator
Thomas of the subcommittee. "a test
not made by men competent to conduct
II is no test, but farce"
Resumes National Guard Issue.
Turning back to the National Guard
question, Gen. Wood said that under
urgent confidential Instructions dur
ing the mobilization. he had purchased
motor trucks, horses and other equip
ment for the first rush of troops from
his department, although without spe-
cifc authority to do so.
Tt seemed criminal" he said. ito send
men to the border to be equipped in the
face of their preSumptive enemy.
The inefi1ciency of the army supply
department was glaring- Only the
rnent over Spanish war days. There is
no organization now on the border,
regular or National Guard, which is
at war strength and fully equipped"
Guard regiments in recruiting. Cen
Wood denied Senator Lees statement
that the War Department had ordered
the stoppage of the natural recruit
ing Immediately after the call was
made. Everything had been done to
speed it up and the cooperation of the
states sought. he said. He told of one
Kentucky regiment which had enrolled
forty-eight convicts to hasten recruit
ing
Luckily" he added. cit was discov-
cred and they were turned out"
Letter From Adjutant General Read.
Senator Lee read letter from Ad-
jutant General Foster of the Florida
National Guard asserting that if the
War Department had not INTERVIEWED
against the operations in his state the
Florida troops would have gone to the
border at war strength.
Gen. Wood agreed with this state
ment- He said he would put in the kee-
ord the entire correspondence with re-
alton to the Florida vrl,i ot Ha