The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-10
THE NATIONAL GUARD.

THE NATIONAL GUARD.
There has never been a time in the
history of the country when unity of
thought, purpose and action in every
department of the government was
more needed than it is today. 1t is
unfortunate, therefore, that the old
| fight between the regular army and
the state military organizations should
be so much in evidence as it is.
On the part of the regular establish
ment there has always been feeling
of jealousy, mixed with disrespect for
the national guard. This sentiment is
being manifested at this time in many
ways. Officers are needed for the
purpose of training the new army
which is to be raised by selective draft.
College men, or men well educated
otherwise. of personality and charac-
ter, who have served in the guard are
the natural, just and fitting men to
be given preference in the selection of
officers
The national guard of Kansas is a
fine body of men. Its members have
surrendered their time and their ma
terial interests to the service of the
country, many of them for years. They
have been seasoned on the Mexican
out, while newer men are called upon
to fight the country's battles.
The national guard CONSTITUTES
trained units in military service and
so far as practical it is to be hoped
these units will not be disintegrated or
relegated to the background.
Plainly there is no situation in Eng
land similar to that existing in the
United States. Day after day the dis
patches tell of the deeds of the Cana
dams, the Australians and the New
Zealanders. In all our wars it has
been the state troops that have won
greatest distinction. Any Kansas man
who can say that he was with the
Eighth when it marched up Missionary
Ridge, or with the Twentieth in the
Philippines, is proud of it.
Kansas is proud of her national
guard. 1t gave a good account of it.
self on the Rio Grande.
There will be glory enough in this
war to go around and it is no time for
jealousies. On the contrary every man
should be encouraged and given the
fullest opportunity to serve his coun-
try to the best of his ability. We shall
need the entire service of every citizen
and every soldier.
So far as practical the national
guard should be used as units in the
real service now demanded and if a
national guardsman have the character,
education and personality so essential
to an officer he should be given prefer
ence over the civilian, with only three
months training and no experience in
the service.
Tuesday evening in his Brooklyn ad-
dress:
1.-The only wise and patriotic course
to follow in connection with the ma
tional guard is to use each
basis and frame for a regiment of
United States volunteers. Under these
circumstances all the officers and en-
listed men who are fit to go or who
ought to be asked to go, would be
transferred into the new volunteer or
ganization, making a skeleton or
framework organization which would
then be fitted out either by draft or
by volunteering as necessity might de-
mand. In this manner, we would
leave in the state those who ought
never to be asked to go out of the
state, or to perform other than the
ordinary state duty and we would use
the men who ought to go as nucleus
on which to build a regiment fitted
to render the most efficient service in
war"