The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-03-11
CAN'T REORGANIzE.
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VSIlu u6UJIQJJlVIG6
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be found. if possible, to organize a
single regiment OF National Guard,
on the fourth instant called on Cen
eral Carter, Chief OF the Militia Blu
reau Of the War department, and
went over the matter with him thor
ouGhly. He explained definitely that
the the provision Of the Federal Act
stating thte number of men for each
congressman and senator which each
state must take into its National
Guard force could not be waived. On
the same day he confirmed that state
ment by letter as follows:
Under the provisions Of sec
ton 81 Of the Act Of congress
approved June 3. 1916, each
State is required to have or
ganiZed by June 3, 1919, not less
than $50 men per senator and
congressman. and the President
may, under the provisions of sec
ton 116, debar any state, Who'll
~ or in part, from receiving any
pecuniary or other aid from the
Federal government. While it is
not contemplated to enfroce this
latter provision because Of
shortage Of men at this time. it
must be understood that in the
event the law is not changed. the
number of men to be organized
in the National Guard of each
state must be that provided in
section SO above referred to-
I'm addition he explained that the
failure OF congress to pass the mill
tsry appropriation bills would make
it impossible for his department to
fu~lish clothing and equipment for
more than one regiment. Conse-
Quently, if reorganizaSon Of the
Guard was undertaken, we would be
complied to enlist $500 men by
June third of this year. The Federal
could clothe and equip
but one regiment and this state would
have to clothe and equip the other at
It's own expense. OF course. that
shows the absolute impossibility and
impracticability of undertaking a re-
of the National Guard,
but have taken your time to so into
this fully for the reason that the sug-
gestion is continuously being made
in the newspapers that, while it is
necessar yto have military or police
protection, the National Guard is
preferable.
! might also call your attention to
the fact that section 81 OF the Act of
Congress of June 8. 1916, prohibits
state from maintaining troops other
than National Guard in time of peace,
but there is this proviso:
Provided further that nothing
contained in this act shall pre-
vent the organization and main
tenance of tsate police or con-
stabulsrry.'
A great deal of the discussion and
most of the suggestions regarding a
possible solution of the question have
been from persons and newspapers
who have not understood the situa-
ton and were not advised as to the
law. Briefly state the situation is
this:
1. The state is prohibited by
Federal statute from maintain
ing an Independent military or
militia force.
.. To reorganize the National
Guard we must have $500 men
by June third of the present
year, but by reason OF the fail
ure of congress to pass an appro-
nriation bill, the War depart
ment can supply equipment for
only one regiment and the state
would have to equip the remain
der of the Guard at its own ex-
pense. In addition to this, 1t
must increase the number of men
at the rate of fifty per cent per
year until the total force is
$500 men at least.
8. The question, therefore,
narrows down to the fact that
the state must provide some
form of police force or go with
out any protection whatever
In my message TO tho Regular ses-
sion expressed the opinoin that a
carefully selected police force.
through a proper modification of the
present Deputy Sheriff law, would be
the moro efficient and the less eX-
pensive organization, and indicated 1
thought the men might be picked by
the Circuit judges. The latter sug-
gestion was not original. but was
made to me by some persons who
we're afterwards most active in OPP
posing the bill wou had under con-
l have not changed my mind. de-
spite the discussions that have ragged
this matter. I did not, in
my former message, elaborate on the
suggestion that the enforcement of
the prohibition statute should be by
this proposed police force, lest the
be misunderstood or mis-
but inasmuch as 1t has
been attacked by the Prohibiting COM
missioner, frankness compels me to
be more specific now.
have cooperated with the commits
,iouer to the very best of my ability.
have supplied funds to his depart
nent out of the Civil Contingent fund
when his appropriation was exhaust
I'd and when the activities of his de-
partment would have ceased had I
done otherwise. I did it because l
the law enforced; because,
turing the war period, especially,
coal operators were continuously
to me that bootleggers
we're bringing whiskey to their oper-
,finnn namrinr a lnss of nrndt1cf