The Carlisle independent., 1917-06-07
ONEI ARMY PROBLEM
HOW THE NATIONAL GUARD IS TO BE MADE PART OF THE
 NATIONAL ARMY.
IT MUST MEET REQUIREMENTS
No Political, Religious or Racial cliques Wanted-Many of the Cav airy Regiments May Be Converted Into Field Artillery.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.


 Washington.-Everyb in Wash angton knows that the National Guard problem has been vexing one for the war department to solve. Some of the regiments in a few of the states never have been efficient and probably never could be made efficient under state control so long as indifference to the service continued in some places to prevail. The government is going to take over at first only such of those National Guard regiments, not already rederalized, as have met with all the requirements of the law in equipment, numbers and efficiency.
 The National Guard regiments un- der the present plan-under the law, in fact-will continue to wear the badge of state service when they be- come part of Uncle Sam's troops, but otherwise to all effects, purposes and appearances they will be part Of the regular army.
 Unless the Guard by volunteer en- listments is recruited to it's full strength prior to the time that the federal government takes over such state organizations as are not enrolled in its service, the provisions of the Hay bill for recruiting the Guard or ganizations will be foregone, and the men needed to complete the quotas will be chosen under the selective con- scription rule. This means that when the United States takes hold of the task of filling the regiments no man over thirty-one years of age will be added to the forces.
 r The regular army authorities have been disturbed by reports from here, there and elsewhere that ambitious po- liticians and others were raising com panies, regiments and even brigades with the idea of offering their services en masse. It was the intention of some of these organizations. if means could be found to do if, to enter the National Guard. The desire of Wash ington has been that the National Guard should be recruited in a way to prevent the entering into it of cliques or sets of men whose binding tie was political, racial, (other than American) or even religious.
 Cavalry to Become Artillery. 1t has been said that some of the National Guard cavalry regiments, per kaps all of them, may be turned into field artillery regiments. There is not much use for cavalry on the west front In the present war, although of course there must be some cavalry for emergencies. Mounted troops when they are needed will be needed badly. Artillery, however, is a prime neces- sity, and as the troopers of the Ma tional Guard know horses and know how to ride them, they will be espe- cially useful in artillery outfits which use horse power for changes of base and coming into battery
 The officers of the army watched the various National Guard regiments on the border closely. One Pennsyl- vania infantry regiment, the Second, was by the direction of the federal authorities turned into field artillery outfit overnight. It is far advanced now in it's drill and it probably will go to France with one of the early eX- petitions which the government sends to the fighting line.
 If such, cavalry regiments of the Guard are given a change of service and of weapons, they need not worry much about delay in sending them to the scene of action. All they will have to do is to learn their new duties quickly, and then they can rest as sured that with their field guns they seas.
 Sure of Early Participation.
 Within the next few weeks the regular army Is to be raised, if the volunteer method can compass it. to it's full war strength of nearly 300OO0 men. If the volunteering shal fail, conscriptive methods will be used but the end will be the same and the regular force will have thousands upon thousands of men greener thar any Guardsman who has had the state soldiers training.
 f Regiments of the National Guard therefore, with the regulars and or equal terms with them, probably vii find themselves on the first line of thu nations offense. The one qualification necessary is to say that application 1: only to those Guard organizations tha are fully recruited, that have met witl the approval of the federal authorities and that saw service on the border Almost unquestionably the federalizet Guard will find itself at the front al quickly as the regulars except fo those few seasoned regiments of tn standing army which probably will b. cent Into the fight quickly.
 What is 1t that has made tn Guards opportunity? Two thing Nave worked to the end of quick serv