New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-10
Committee on Defence
Says Guard Cannot
Be Relied On
FIND "a PER CENT
WON'T RE-ENLIST
Hardships for Families
Blamed-Need of Service
for All Shown

Inc only solution OF the nhtloh
military problem is universal military
training, in the opinion OF Mayor
Mtchel's Committee on National De-
fence, which submitted its report yes
/ terday. This report, based on an in
quiry that began shortly after the Ma
/ tional Guard was ordered out, last
June, declares that the mobilization OF
the National Guard proved that it could
not be relied upon for defence.
One of the results of the investiga-
ton was the statements Of members
Of the Guard indicating that 81 per
cent of the men now in it will not re-
enlist. Guardsmen whose terms have
expired have not reenlisted. lnforms-
ton received by the committee from
officers and men all pointed toward a
poor enlistment and reenlistment rec
ord.
Many Guardsmen Lost Jobs
This was largely due to the hard
ships endured by the families of Guards
men, many of whom suffered actual
want. Sixty-fve per cent Of the
Guardsmen had to give up their regular
civilian income when they went into
service, and many when mustered out
found that they had lost their jobs. A
great number Of the Guardsmen de-
/ clared that they would not perform
military service again except under a
system of universal service.
ut has been said" reads The report
chat the mobilization of the National
Guard was complicated By the circum-
stance that the Hay-Chamberlain bill
had become law only two weeks before
/ the call and that the Guard had not
/ vet adjusted itself TO its new status
I 1t is true that this did create per
plexities in the making out Of rolls and
other records. and in determining the
correct formalities for the various
steps in the mobilization plan. But
confusion Of this sort was Of minor
importance. A careful reading OF the
law gives no reason TO suppose that the
I fundamental dificuities-th unsatis-
factory recruiting, the economic dis
{ tress incident TO the service Of men
with families, the equipment muddle-
would have been appreciably less seri-
Gus had the national defence act been
a year instead Of fortnight old
Second Failure Shown
The report declares that this new Ma
/ tional Guard legislation is the same
as the old. and is built upon divided
control which again, the second time in
a generation, has proved, under test
/ fatal to the military effort of the ma
/ tion.
Voluntary enlistment and dependence
! upon the dual Federal and state con-
troll, says the report, have proved a fail
ure. While not recommending any par
ticular system of defence, holding that
the details should be worked out by
military experts whose knowledge and
I experience are at the disposal OF Con-
gress, the report says an immediate
need is to provide an adequate stand
ing force for the protection OF the coun-
try's border and similar service.
But only through universal military
training, as a part of universal educa-
ton" continues the report, can the
manhood of the nation be qualified 70
afford real and permanent protection"
/ The report, which is signed by the
entire executive committee, gives full
credit to the officers and enlisted men
of the Guard for their enthusiasm and
/ spirit OF patriotic sacrifice. The sigh
ers are Willard D. Straight, chairman;
B. Cleveland H. Dodge, John Mitchell,
George w. Perkins, Alfred T. Smith and
/ Alexander n. White.
Investigation Of Militia
Richard Stockton, jr., formerly 4
| captain in the New Jersey National
Z Guard, made an investigation among
/ the Guardsmen on the border. Cap
/ tain Stockton resigned his post few
months ago as the result OF criticisms
he made Of the Guard On the day
( his resignation was requested, he vas
! awarded the highest honor given By
+ the Military Service Institution OF the
/ United States, gold medal for the
pest essay on military topic written
during calendar year. This was the
B second time he won the medal.
/ In addition 20 Captain Stockton, the
committee had staff OF trained in
/ vestigators, who obtained data from
/ the War Department. from state head
! quarters and from officers and men IN
| the Guard. Results Of the inquiry Will
/ be given out IN greater detail IN
short time.
Besides communicating with 2,4OO
I Guardsmen in this state, the commit
/ tee communicated with almost 5000
4 EMPLOYERS. or the 43l employers VINO
expressed an opinion on military pre-
marathon, only four advocated con-
/ tinuance Of the present National Guard
svsterr. Two OF these said they be
. lieyed in universal service. Only thir.
/ teen employers expressed dlsapproVai
Of universal service
Plan Favored by Employers
Next 10 the declaration for military
service TIE most striking feature OF
/ he employers replies vas The en-
+ Uhasis they placed on ms need Of equa;
( distribution OF the burden. They SAID
rbev were ready 70 give tine or 10
/ heir men for training, but they wanted
/ he training governed b. some rational
ConiinGsJ cn page 8, eoiann