New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-03
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

10 the Editor OF Inc
Sir: have just read your editorial OF De-
cember 20, headed "Miltarism Rampant" in
which you attribute 10 me views which DO
not hold. The problem Of providing ade-
ouatelv for the national defence Is so serious
n problem that it's discussion should not be
embarrassed by the introduction Of PROPOSE
tions or plans incorrectly attributed TO mill"
tary met.
I gather from your article that you are
under the belief that | advocate plan by
which "the regular army is TO be reduced 70
the status Of police force" "Our real army
will consist Of militsmen." "He General
O'Ryau) still cherishes many early American
ideas Of military organization" Many times
have / been charged with being radical
Federalist in military matters, but so far as
know never before with advocating state
rights"
Prior 20 the passage Of the national de-
fence act last spring the present National
Guard was officially known as the organized
militia Of the several states and territories.
It is well to note carefully this official desig-
nation, for in measure it correctly de-
scrbed the force. II was in fact and in law
regarded primarily as an army OF the states,
to be loaned, as it were, to the United States
on the order Of the President pursuant 70
that provision Of the United States Consttu-
ton which authorizes the President to call
forth the militia to repel invasion, suppress
and execute the laws.
Old Lack of Uniformity
In order that your readers may have an
adequate picture Of the organized militia as
Il existed prior to the passage Of the national
defence act, it should be known that the
Federal laws did not prescribe in necessary
detail how the force should be organized.
Hence, IL was left to the states to determine
the period of the militiaman's enlistment and
the character Of the enlistment oath There
were in consequence various periods Of en-
listment prescribed b. the several states, and
the oath Of enlistment took varying forms
with different obligations. The old Federal
law did not prescribe what qualifications
officers should possess. Accordingly, in some
states the qualifications were high and rigid
examinations were prescribed, while in other
states the standards were low 1t Is be-
lieved that in some states no tests or exami-
nations were necessary for commission. Time
and space will not permit detailed state
ment of the lack of uniformity throughout
the organized militia Of the several states.
In the nationwide discussion last winter
on the subject of preparedness these defects
Of the militia were frequently pointed out,
not only by officers of the regular army, but
by officers Of the militia, who were among
those most DESTROYS OF effecting needed
changes in the law. When the remedy was
sought 10 be applied some advocated a new
force, 20 be known as the Continental Army,
which force was to be organized not under
the militia provisions Of the Federal Consti-
tuition, but under that provision Of the Fed
eral Constitution which gives 10 Congress
the power to raise and support armies. After
a full discussion Of this plan it was rejected,
although fundamentally it had merit, because
based on the army provision Of the Consti-
tuition. Quite generally officers Of the Ma
tional Guard and of the regular army re-
garded the plan as impractical.
Conflicting Views in the Guard
The attitude Of part Of the National Guard
was that if an out-and-out Federal force were
20 be organized it should be done by utiliz-
ing the then existing organizations Of the
organized militia as the nucleus OF such
force. Another group Of officers believed
that the status Of militia should be preserved
in order to maintain the force in keeping
with the principles Of government laid down
BY the founders. This group pointed out
that the power of Congress in relation 10 the
organization Of the militia was ample to pre-
scribe uniformity in all matters affecting
the force, while its use for the purposes
named I'm the Constitution would cover all
cases except in wars Of aggression, which it
was hoped our country would never en-
gage in.
As the discussion proceeded and views
we're crystallized it became apparent that the