Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-01-01
U.S.RULINC WIPES
OUT STATE GUARD
Baker Approves Decision to Re-
turn Troops to Civilian Life
When Discharged.
CITES OPINION OF JANUARY
Judge Advocate General Gives Ruling
Which Leaves the States With
out Military Organ
izations.

Washington, Dec. 25.-An opinion OF
the judge advocate generals office,
approved by the secretary of war, holds
that officers and enlisted men of the
National Guard will revert to civilian
status when discharged from the fed
eral service. The effect of the rui-
ing practically is to wipe out of exist
ence the National Guard as it was or
gained prior to the war.
The opinion is rendered. by Brig.
Gen. Samuel T. Ansell, who has been
acting judge advocate general since
Maj. Gen. Crowder was appointed pro-
vost marshal general to handle the
draft, was made public today by the
war department.
Cites Opinion of January.
General March, chief of staff, on De-
cember 20 asked for an opinion as to
the status of members of the Ma
tional Guard subsequent to their dis
charge from the federal service. his
memorandum called attention to a di-
gest of opinion of the judge advocate
general dated January, 1918, in which
it was said that when the Guardsmen
were mustered out" of the federal
service they would revert to their
militia status. and also to their status
in the National Guard.
General Ansell,> in his decision,
pointed out that this opinion was
based upon muster out, and not upon
discharge, and added:
GAS matter of fact, the opinion In
the digest in which this sentence oc-
ours holds, without qualification, that
the draft of a member of the National
Guard into the federal service abso-
lutely discharges him from the militia,
which includes the National Guard.
Furthermore, this Office has held that
a commission by the temporary froces
is incompatible with commission in
the National Guard and operates to
cancel the commission in the National
Guard
Revert to Civilian Status.
at is, therefore, the opinion of this
office that the former members of the
National Guard, both officers and en-,
listed men, who entered the service by
draft under the presidents proclama-
ton of July 8, 1917, will, when dis
charged from the federal service, re-
vert to civilian status and will not
revert to their former status as men,
bers of the National Guard"
State Constabulary Is Liked.
While the recent governors confer
ence at Annapolis, Md, did not openly
commit itself on definite policy rela-
tive to the future of the National
Guard organizations throughout the
country, members of the conference
have brought word here that there was
a strong undercurrent among the gov
errors at the conference in favor of re-
tanning and expanding the state con-
stabulary idea. The cOnstabulary plan
was largely developed to meet the ex-
igencies of the war during the alb
sence of the National Guard and for
letting the federal government have a
clear field in the matter of creating
and organizing the country for all pur-
poses of national defense. The main
arguments in favor of the constabu-
larry organization were it's permanency,
it's resultant efficiency and the fact
that it can be kept aloof from politics.