The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-03-27
Personnel Highly Praised.

Nnen one considers that the mem
bcrs Of the National Guard have been
the only citizens who have made an
organized effort to provide the gov
ernment with military for use in an
emergency to back up the small regu.
lar army. the question can have but
one answer as far as the personnel is
concerned They should have all
praise and the militia bureau has gone
on record as opposing executive effort
today to abolish the National Guard
as system until something better is
actually substituted
"The general staff in recently pro.
posing "A plan for universal training.
has endeavored to provide a place for
all of the National Guard who desire
to continue their laudable efforts to
serve the nation In building up de.
pendable military force.
AS to the system itself being worth
preserving, ! will answer by saying
that II may be worth while for state
purposes but not for federal.
The dual control OF a federal mil.
itary force negatives at once It's at.
tanning a real efficiency for federal
military purposes. Cease for mo.
ment to think about the National
Guard and imagine our regular army
under a system Of dual control where
officers were elected by their men or
appointed by state officials.
Should Be Under Single Control.
rs II not vastly better to unite all
under a single federal control and
each, according to the measure of his
acquired ability, be thus used to bet
ter adyantage?"
The general said that In mobilizing
the guard for border duty, the militia
/ bureau had endeayored 10 follow out
the law In every particular and Ia
make out Of the guard system an ef
iicient military force II that were hu
manly possible.
lie considered a crcditable showing
had been made. he added. despite IN,
fact that congress was changing IN,
law during the critical period and
that consequently I'VE were all caught
swapping horses as we crossed IN,
stream"
In previous military operations In
the United States he continued
there had been no organized cftor
to gather statistics that would be o
service for use In any future mObili
Zation, but the militia bureau. realiz
ing the value OF such information
took steps TO gather II. and afterwardi
to have It compiled, and 40 you hay,
the report Of the chief OF the militi,
bureau on the mobilization Of 1917
which seems also 10 have been IN,
target for much hostile criticism an,
misunderstanding
Mobilization Beneficial TO Guard.
THE truth alone serves. and IN,
statistics therein given may prov,
valuable II studied In the proper spir
II. That mobilization and those sta
tistics together give more valuabl,
military information for the good o
the nation and acquired without N,
effusion Of blood. than could hay,
been gotten In any other way.
more careful editing OK some of m,
reports would have been better bu
we are all human and the Compilinl
was done under high pressure 80 "a
to have It available for prompt use
THE material benefits of the mobIl
ization and the training are beyon,
valuation The National Guar
which has been 10 the border has rc
ceiyed more actual benefit than coulu
have been gotten in many years O
training, under normal national con
ditions"