Evening star., 1918-07-21

~ IudhC n 6t6tCuCAb Ol IllV
number of officers who have
become separated from the National
Guard since the declaration Of war aud
the calling OF the organized militia
into the federal service. This action
draws attention again to the fact
that there was a National Guard. for
1t has become habit to speak of the
armies Of the United States or the
American Army. and to forget that a
substantial part Of it is composed Of
the veterans of the expedition on the
Mexican border and the men who
came into this organization soon after
that kindergarten campaign.
Immediately after the return of the
guard. when the fuss with Mexico was
over, about March, 1916, many Of the
most efficient officers and privates, on
one ground or another, resigned from
the organisation. in most cases the
real reason being that in their alb
deeply Into their business to let them
stand the expense. With the call of
the guard to the defense of the nation
at war the response came immedi-
ateiy. Many returned to the old
ranks. and other guard graduates have
won high positions in the National
Army. The guard expanded rapidly,
until in April. 1913, the date Of the
latest official report OF its strength, 1t
had enrolled 1851 officers and 409, 1886
men. besides something more than
$4,000 taken from the guard to fill the
ranks of certain divisions of the Army.
It has been reported that a huge
percentage Of guard officers. after fall
ing to qualify for the fighting forces
Of the Army. had been separated from
ROC MI N1ty, hA
much farther from the truth when
compared with the facts of the case.
0f the total number of officers of the
guard. 1871. there have been elimi-
mated from the body little more than
1900 officers, or less than one officer
separated from the command, about
one-third were disqualified physically.
and all vacancies have been filled from
the guard itself. with few exceptions,
in favor of higher officers. in many in
stances requested by the governors Of
states.
The activity of the militia bureau
was directed to the development of
capable officers and the elimination
OF those who-were for any reason not
the best to care for and lead the men
OF the organization The result is
that Gen Pershing has not made
many changes in the officer personnel
OF the guard, and it's fighting qualities
mus Tar demonstrated on the fields OF
France have shown the justification
OF the judgment in selections.
The attitude of members of Con-
gress to the selection by elimination
Of guard officers has been interesting
However well member might try to
do for his constituent. he always stood
ready to recognise the soundness of
the principle that the men must have
the best Of everything, officers in
ciuded, and to give support to that
principle.
~
THE brilliant performance of the
coast guard has easily justified the
legislation which placed that service on
an equality Of pay and promotion with
officers of the same length Of service in
the regular Navy. and is another demon
stration Of the wisdom Of the act Great
ing the coast guard in 1915. which de-
ciared it to be a part of the military
arm Of the government ard consequent
ly made this later legislation possible
The creation Of the coast guard was
originally proposed in a bill introduced
by Representative George Edmund Foss
of Illinois, for many years chairman of
the House committee on naval affairs.
service and the ife-saving service into
the new body, under the name of the
coast guard. In addition to the relief of
vessels wrecked or in distress and Of
the harbor duty performed by the old
revenue cutters their vessels in peaceful
times patrol the coast in search OF dere-
licts, icbergs and other hindrances to
navigation. The provisions Of the act
creating the coast guard automatically
upon the declaration Of war placed the
coast guard under the jurisdiction Of
the Navy.
Coast guard vessels were among the
ffrst, when this country entered into
war, to be sent to the other side and
their records for good service are un-
broken.
The service Of the coast guard. how
eyer. is not limited to the ocean or the
shore thereof. for the Navy is now
building two coast guard cutters at
Dubuque. Iowa, for flood relief work on
the Ohio. Mississippi, Illinois, Mononga-
hela and other rivers in the Mississippi
and Ohio valleys. It is expected that
they will be launched and ready for
operation early in the spring to meet
Hood conditions. In 1915 a coast guard
crew rendered signal assistance to Hood
stricken people in southern Illinois and
Indiana. These new vessels will be
much more effective than anything
available. because they are designed
after the typical stern-wheel, shallow
draft river boat that can be run over the
extended water fields. They represent a
new field Of effort for coast guard, as II
Ia the first organised activity on the
part Of the government to render aid
to food sufferers on the interior waters,
Il is safe to predict that when these
Hood vessels have demonstrated that,
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