The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-15
A GUARDSMAN REPLIES.
He Thinks That the Regular Also Hal
Done Some Hunting.

To THE EDITOR OF THE suS--Sir: Now
is the closed season for the National
Guardsmen, both OF the army and the
navy. Destruction of this class of game
was automatically stopped on November
IL last, and will remain stopped until
such time as Pancho villa or some other
cutup begins doing the shimmy dance
again along the sand dunes Of the
border.
The Army and Navy officers Protec-
tive Association. which inaugurated the
destructive drive on National Guard
officers. continued recklessly throughout
tho war its pursuit of any commissioned
man who had been known to have had
any affiliation with the National Guard.
and by superior knowledge. attachments
and manners effectively placed as many
OF these National Guardsmen In places
where they would be inconspicuous and
where the duties would be as far re-
moved from their knowledge and ability
as 1t was possible.
A mild protest against this slaughter
was registered. Some lawyers even OBJ
jccted to being detailed in construction
gangs when there was need Of them else
where. Some practical and successful
electrical engineers objected to being de-
tailed as clerks when there was a call
for experienced electricians, and men Of
qualified business experience were de-
tailed as military police. The National
Guardsman was fed UP on anything
that 1t was thought he would not ac-
complIsh well.
Joking aside, the National Guards
man has no particular Crouch against
the Regular; where he Is grouchy II Is
against the system which obtained in
the Army and Navy Officers Protective
Association. And once again. Joking
aside. IL the National Guard officer in
spots was not up to the standard, then
let the Regular make his excuses for
not properly attending to his business
before war broke out
Everybody gives credit to the Regu-
lar Army officer, even the National
Guardsmen. The Regulars did fine work
and deserve credit they got the fight-
ing assignments. as much at least as
they could cover: the bureau at Wash.
ington attended to that.
However, the war is over and there
should be glory enough for US all. yea,
even for the National Guard officers.
Should. however there be any investi-
CATION of the army or of the wrongs"
Of discredited and disgruntled political
soldiers 1t goes without saying that the
Army and Navy Officers Protective AS
ISOLATION will see that justice is prop
erly done to the officer who has had his
education at West Point and who has
put In his whole life at the military
problem.
or course II Is absurd for US Ma
ticnal Guardsmen to think that we could
have accomplished anything with our
civilian education and training, and II
is absurd to think that the enlisted man
who was from the National Guard or
the draft army could amount to any
thing.
am sorry to have to answer the
humorous letter OF Linn Butan. re-
printed in THE SUN from the Army and
Navy Journal am sorry that there
should be the occasion to bring such
matters before the public, but as Lin
Butan says. There was a war, the Reg
ular Army won It by direction and con-
trol and training OF the personnel given
to the National Army"
In conclusion let me add that when
Master Workman Pershing makes his
final report I believe he will give credit
to these civilian officers and soldiers who
dropped their ordinary pursuits of life
and took few weeks course OF instruc-
ton to learn what the Regular has been
studying all his life. to face the enemy.
BILL JONES.
NEWARK ". j. June IA