Evening star., 1922-10-22
NATIONAL GUARD
TO Be REVISED"
Fate of Organization in Bal
ance at Conference Here
in Few Weeks.

With the announced purpose of con-
sidering a reallotment Of organizations
to National Guard service, conference
of officers Of the general staff Of the
Army and officers of the National
Guard throughout the country has been
called by the Secretary of War. They
will convene in this city within the next
three weeks. On the recommendations
to be submitted to Secretary Weeks. as
result of the conference, it is said.
rests the fate of the National Guard.
Regret is expressed, especially in Ma
tional Guard circles. that the matter OF
readjustment of allotments should
have to be considered at this time. Just
two years ago a law was enacted. winch
placed the guard on what WAS regarded
secure. federally recognized foo.-
ing. \ definite quota of divisions. corps
and Army troops was allotted and the
work of reorganization inaugurated.
Satisfactory progress was made. hut. in
view of further legislation by Congress.
the reorganization must be revised.
and that is the principal purpose for
the calling of the conference.
Hostility in Army.
Several reasons have been advanced
fo- the need of Il further reorga niZation
Of The guard. One is that. the general
Stst'' ot - Army Is UoinlnattQ o.! an
e'e.aenj h sti e TO the National Guard
and. there. ore. wishes to see the prestige
OF that Sci vice lowered. and its future
prestige hamDersd through Il general Ie-
ductiOn III its proposed strength and
general restriction OF it's activities to
divisional organizations on.y." In an
SWer TO this. it is asserted that the future
will see corps and Army commanders.
Regular Army men. who have armed
the value of the National Guard and
Who can be depended on to Civ" that
service its proper share of credit. to-
Sether with its share of responsibilities.
Cne group of National Guard officials
contends that the guard should .ot be
required 10 furnish other than divisional
and coast defense troops. because once
d National Guard unit is called INTO fed
er;il service as Il corps or Array organ
ization. it will lose its Identity 1t will
have no politically powerful division
behind it, and, therefore. it runs the
risk of being converted into a unit of
another branch and otherwise NAL
treated by heartless Army or corps COM
manderS.
War Lessons Disresarded.
This viewpoint, it is contended, is in
disregard of the lessons of the world
war. for the depleted Regular Army will
not be able to furnish heavy artillery to
back National Guard divisions in action.
Further, it is pointed out, a policy of
avoiding the conversion and Shifting Of
corps and Army units runs the risk CT
forcing the diSbandment of entire Ma
tional Guard divisions should the day
of emergency come with no provision
for the Organizations that must back
the divisions in line.
Other reasons for calling the con-
ference are that the act of June 4,
1920. requires states with only one
representative, but with two senators.
in Congress to furnish the same ratio
of 500 National Guard per congress-
man required Of New York and Penn
sylvania This. it Is claimed, requires
a change. Further, 1t is argued by
some that economy is to be achieved
by a readjustment. since "it has been
established that corps and Army
troops are more expensive to equip
and maintain than are divisional
units.
The conference will be asked to con-
slider the matter of the possible re-
vtval of the 31st and 42d Divisions.
the allotment of two more infantry
divisions to the National Guard in
order to absorb existing surplus in
fantry units, and the organization
Of a real National Guard reserve. The
demand for Intelligent. educational
publicity will be pointed out, on the
ground that 'only the uniformed can
fail to appreciate the increased re-
sponsibilities devolving upon the Ma
tional Guard. which must now be
depended upon to hold the points in
the first line that an understood reg
ular force cannot be stretched to
cover"
Passage Of Legislation.
Friends of the National Guard say
they were placated in 1920 by the
passage of a bill. This bill has been
frustrated in each of the succeeding
two years. through the cutting off of
money. The allegation is made that
state legislators have been no less
Indifferent to what is claimed to be
the increased Importance attached to
National Guard service. The addi-
tional armories needed for an en-
larged organization have not been
provided. The various state adjutants
general are on record as saying they
cannot hope. under present conditions,
to maintain the full National Guard
quota allotted to them
So officers of the National Guard
and of the Regular Army are to meet
here. in compliance with the call of
the Secretary of War. in the hope of
reconciling differences of opinion,
ironing out creases and submitting
recommendations that will result in an
adequate, properly organized citizen SOL
diery.