The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Guards Future Assured
With Praise for It's Fine Past Record

The National Guard by it's record In the
world war fully justified its continued ex-
istence and earned place for itself In any
well considered plan of national defence
In the world war the National Guard fur
nished seventeen combat divisions. nearly
10000 officers and men. OF the first five
divisions sent to France in 1917 three were
National Guard; of the twenty-four Ameri-
can divisions engaged in the Argonne often
sive or participating in British and French
operations at the time eleven were National
Guard
Another departure from our past military
policy was the provision in the act of June
4, 1920. that all policies and regulations af-
fecting the organization, distribution and
training of the National Guard should be
prepared and determined by a General Staff
committee composed of an equal number of
Regular and National Guard officers. the
latter being made additional members of the
General Staff for the time being.
For two months these committees have
been diligently at work on the task allotted
to them by law-twelve officers from the
Operations and War Plans divisions of the
War Department General Staff. working
with twelve National Guard officers holding
Reserve commissions and representing the
States of New York, Connecticut. Pennsyl-
vana, Maryland. Ohio, Michigan. Minnesota,
Colorado. Missouri, Oregon, Alabama and
Texas.
These officers have been placed on the
same footing as the Regular Army officer, and
not only they participating to the full
in the solution of every question and prob
lem which affects directly or indirectly the
policy of the War Department with relation
to the National Guard and Organized Re-
serve forces. but they have been authorized
by the War Department to. initiate, as MEM
bers of the War Department General Staff.
questions of policy affecting the tactical
strength we'll as the general administra-
ton of the semi-active components Of the
army
But beyond all this has been the coordi-
mating influence Of actual contact with
representative officers of the army The
great influence of this experience which they
will carry back to the States from which
they come toward the coordination of the
army and the National Guard will be the
greatest result of this far seeing policy
written into the act.
II has been deemed advisable by the War
Department to begin the reorganization Of
the National Guard Immediately, and a table
Of tentative alotments has been prepared
showing the number of troops to be organ
lied in each State. The national defence
act requires a proportion of 200 men for
each Senator and Representative in Con-
gress, and a number to be determined by the
President for each Territory and the District
of Columbia, with proportionate annual
increase until 500 men per Senator and Rep
resentative has been reached, which mini
mum is required by June 30. 1924. If the
provisions OF this law are fulfilled, total
enlisted strength of approximately 427,00O
men will be provided as the peace organiza-
ton of the National Guard
wbefhar this ambitious r,1an cap has
ried out will depend n great deal not only
on the response to the call for National
Guard recruits by the young men of the