New-York tribune., 1919-09-06
Old 7th and 69th To Be
Disbanded Unless Rules
of liberalization Change,
Says Adjutant General
Attacks Militia Bureau
Asserts War Departments
Plans Will Force Other
Organizations to Quit

The Dandy 7th." "thc Fighting
69th" and other famous regiments Of
New York National Guard will have to
be mustered out and their organiza-
tlons, century old in some cases, broken
up. Adjutant General Charles w. Berry
said yesterday, unless the War Depart
ment changes its ruling providing for
the liberalization of the Guard.
Adjutant General Bcrry's statement
was made following reports from
Washington in which officers of the
Militia bureau were quoted as saying
that the failure Of former New York
Guardsmen to rcenlist was due to the
"absence Of efforts by Adiutant Cen
cral Berry and his associates to cam
paign for new members"
"This is only another example Of
the ignorance of the Militia Bureau"
said Adjutant General Berry. ain the
State of New York has nothing to do
with getting recruits. That is entirely
within the province Of the command
ing general, who, on August 18, issued
orders for a vigorous campaign for
recruits. IT is the province of the
Adjutant General to provide the
equipment, and that he has already
arranged for.
Bureaus Rulinvs Confusing
"The trouble is that the rulings of
the Militia Bureau have been so con-
fused that it is impossible for any ono
to Il <1.> L.
tomorrow. Originally the Militia
enlistment; that was changed to a
threcyea enlistment period and again
changed to a oneyear period under
certain conditions. The bureau pro
vided for recognition on basis of 100
men. That now has been altered to IS
men, making the fourth change
"The bureau allowed New York State
only 9,400 troops under the fcderaliza-
ton plan. while the state is entitled to
$4,000. If the four regiments of in-
fantry named are the only ones which
will receive Federal recognition and
support, it means the mastering out OF
regiments such as the 69th, the 7th
and others Of similarly brilliant rec
ords and traditions"
The organizations authorized by the
ililtiU buIcdU uuNcI TIC lCueIUllZG ZION
plan are: the list Infantry, New
York: the 23d Infantry, Brooklyn; the
I'd Infantry, Troy; the Sd Infantry Au-
burn; Squadron c, 1st Field Artillery,
the 22d Engineers and few sanitary
units.
7th to BE Side Show"
When these are recruited up 20 the
strength required by the War Depart
ment tie total Of 9,400 guardsmcn for
which Federal recognition is provided
will have been completed. The 7th.
which was organized in 1906, has 1000
veterans and a S7CO.OOO armory at
Sixty-siXth Street and Park Avenue
erected at its own expense. 1t fur
nished the army with 800 officers dur
ing the war. 1t will, according to
Adjutant General Berry, be "merely a
side show" Other regiments, he says.
will have the same status and, failing
Federal recognition and support, will
have to be mustered out.
Following requests from the Adiu-
tants General of New York and forty
three other states and also the appeals
of the Governors Of Maine, Minnesota,
South Carolina. Pennsylvania, Missouri,
Wisconsin and Nevada, Major Gem
crai J. Mel. Carter, Of the Militia
Bureau, yesterday advised Adiutant
General Berry that the War Depart
ment will extend recognition to COM
psnies of guardsmen organized on the
sixty-tve men to q company basis. The
Militia Bureau previously had required
that the companies be organized on a
loon basis