Evening journal., 1922-08-23

and therefore the leaders Of otheri
in time Of trouble. Training is es
sential. The great majority of the
! 10000 Reserve officers wanted TO &c
| to camp this summer. The greal
majority of them have been disap'
pointed and are dlsgusted because
Congress appropriated only money
enough to allow a small part of them
to go. only part of the r. o. T. C.
will have received some training in
camp by the close of the summer.
The 1900 men who go to citizens
training camps this summer have no
permanent organization. on the con-
clusion of the camps they will be
dispersed among the civilian popu-
lation without even the obligation TO
reappear If called for.
Nearly 100000 National Guards
men and Reservists of the' various
categories have been in camp, are
now in camp or will be in camp un-
dergoing instruction before this
summer is over. Their instructions
are not only along the lines Of mill
tary efficiency, but also OF good citi-
zeDship. II the business element of
the country had taken a little inter-
est in the training of these men,
Congress would not have dared to
have yielded to the influences which
caused them TO cut down the appro-
priation of the very small sum
needed-upoD the plea of economy.
but really in response to the evil in
nuences which wish to leave this
country helpless in the face of
trouble.
The Army Always Loyal
The Regular Army OF the United
States prides itself on its long, un-
deviatlng. absolutely ,unshakable
loyalty TO the Constitution Of the
United States Of America. 1t owes
no allegiance TO any man. TO any
group Of men, to any community, TO
any state. Its allegiance is undivid-
edly 10 the Constitution OF the Uni.
ted States, and nothing else. It's
past history shows that 1t has been
in this allegiance. If
called upon today 1t would be Just
as unfaltering.
Congress has steadily reduced the
Regular Army since the armistlce.
The average officer and enlisted man,
being thorough Americans, thor
oughly imbued with the American
spirit understand the necessity for
economy at the present time. They
the natural American |
opposition TO a large standing army. |
However. the Regular Army has
been reduced TO a point where its /
numbers are insufficient TO perform
he ordinary peacetinfe duties which .
he National Guard and Reserve |
'orces cannot be called upon to per-
,orm. should not be called upon to
perform, and don't want to be called .
ipon 10 perform.
In failing to make proper pro-
Visions for the future of thousands /
1f faithful old on-commissioned .
many OF whom served as
officers during the war,
and in cutting the corps OF officers |
TO a strength of 10000, Congress has |
struck "A blow at the morale of the |
Army which II will take a long time
TO recover from unless vigorous ac-
ton is Immediately had to reverse
he situation.
Injustice Lowers Morale
Safety and tenure Of office while .
efficient and well-behaved, and the
light TO retirement with sufficient
o live decently, are the only re-
Yards which the officer and enlisted
nan, who are willing to devote their
ives to the Service and willing to
orego the chances of financial sue
ess inherent to civil life. have. I'm
er existing conditions large num-