The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-06-09
HOW THE NATIONAL GUARD is
TO BE MADE PART OF THE
NATIONAL ARMY.
1T MUST MEET REQUIREMENTS
No Political, Religious or Racial
CIiques Wanted-Many of the Cav
airy Regiments May Be Converted
Into Field Artillery.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.


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
federalized, as have met with all the
requirements of the law in equipment,
numbers and efficiency.
The National Guard regiments I'M
der the present plan-under the law,
in fact-will continue to wear the
badge of state service when they be-
come a part of Uncle Sans troops,
but otherwise to all effects, purposes
and appearances they will be a 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
CARNATIONS 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 De
added to the forces.
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. 1t was the intention OF
some of these organizations, If means
could be found to do it, to enter the
| National Guard. The desire of wash
I ington has been that the Nationa
/ Guard should be recruited in a way tt
prevent the entering into 1t of cliques
! or sets of men whose binding tie was
political, racial, (other than Americana
or even religious.
/ Cavalry to Become Artillery.
1t has been said that some of thu
National Guard cavalry regiments, per
haps all of them, may be turned int
field artillery regiments. There is no
much use for cavalry on the ives
front In the present war. although O
course there must be some cavalry TO
emergencies. Mounted troops whel
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 whicl
use horse power for changes Of bas
and coming into battery"
The officers of the army watches
the various National Guard regiment
on the border closely. One Pennsyl
vania infantry regiment, the Second
was by the direction Of the fedora
authorities turned into a field artiller
outfit overnight. 1t is far advance
now In its drill and 1t probably Wi
20 to France with one Of the early e1
petitions which the government send
to the fighting line.
If such cavalry regiments Of tn
Guard are given a change Of servic
and of weapons, they need not WORT
much about delay in sending them
the scene of action. All they will hav
to do is to learn their new dutie
quickly, and then they can rest al
sured that with their field guns the
will be put on ships and sent owe
seas.
Sure Of Early Participation.
Within the next few weeks I'll
regular army is to be raised, IL ii
volunteer method can compass
to its full war strength of near
100000 men. If the volunteering sha
fail, conscriptive methods will be use
but the end will be the same and Il
regular force will have thousand
upon thousands of men greener thf
any Guardsman who has had the sta
soldiers training.
Regiments of the National Guar
therefore, with the regulars and {
equal terms with them, probably W
find themselves on the first line of Il
nations offense. The one qualificati'
necessary is to say that application
only to those Guard organizations tn
are fully recruited, that have met wi
the approval of the federal authoriti
and that saw service on the horde
Almost unquestionably the federaliz
Guard will find itself at the front
quickly as the regulars except I
those few seasoned regiments of t
standing army which probably will
sent into the fight quickly.
What is it that has made {
Guards opportunity? Two thin
have worked to the end of quick SCI
Ice for the federalized state troops
service on the border and the mea
being taken to recruit the regular arr
up to its full war strength.
The new regiments for the Nation
army In the main part are to be bu
up around a nucleus of men Of 81
soned service, but In each organi;
ton the recruits will outnumber I
veterans. This means that it will Ia
some time for most Of the regimen
She Put the Toe In Ptomaine.
A seven-year-old Columbus 6