The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-05-31

DO4A(y was OCS0A ny S1AC a
committees Of Congress. This result
ed in the adoption for the first time
in our history of a sound military
policy which is embodied in the army
reorganization act of June, 1920.
The American Legion exercised a,
powerful influence in the passage of
this law. II conforms in the main to
the recommendations of the Legion's
first convention at Minneapolis. Rep
resentatives Of the Legion worked
with the Congressional committees in
the formulation of its main provis-
ions. It thus represents the view of
citizen soldiers fresh from actual ex-
| perience in war. 1t is highly neces-
sary that this policy be developed if
we are not to drift hopelessly back
| into the pre-war condition of lethar-
| gy and inactivity.
This law provides for a national
army consisting of the permanent es-
tablishment, the National Guard and
the reserves, organized into M hon.
| ogeneous whole. 1t provides for the
maintenance of our forces on a peace
basis readily convertible to a war ba-
| sis. Mobilization is thoughtfully
| foreseen and not left to decision in
the midst of a crisis. Arrangement
is made for the continuous flow of
| trained officer personnel from the
youth of the country into the Ma
| tional Guard and reserve forces.
Under this systematic arrange
ment the regular army provides the
general overhead for the current adj
ministration of the army of the Unit
ed States as a whole; it furnishes
overseas garrisons for our colonial
| possessions necessary for protection
on the declaration of war; it supplies
a small combat force within the con-
tinental limits Of the United States
to stand behind the executive and the
federal courts in the enforcement OF
law and order in times of internal
disturbances; it serves to guard our
frontiers against lawless aggression,
and most important of all, it provides
the professional personnel to assist
in the training of the National Guard
and organized reserves, and to pre-
pare young men in the schools and
colleges for duty as a part of those
citizen forces.
The combat component Of the regu
lar army in the United States is 81
small as to be almost negligible Il
the event of hostilities with a first
class power. Therefore, the Nations
Guard must under our adopted mill
tary policy, Immediately take the fiel
in a great emergency. This fore
must be trained and organized, read
to deploy upon the declaration of wa
as the bulwark behind which the fe
eraI government will mobilize trooI
and industries.
In our high schools and colleg'
re are reserve officer training corr
n units conducted by regular officer
to qualify the best type of your
- men for reserve commissions as sc
ond ~lieutenants in the various arr
and services. The citizens militia,
training camps are also to contr1bu
to this production of commission
p personnel. The flow from the
ate sources should lead first into t
nd ranks or into the lowest comm
the stoned grade of the National Qua
to as far as possible, especially for the
ed who are willing to give their time
the arduous weekly obligations IN t
echelon of the national army; WI
those who are unable to make sucl
sacrifice of time, or those who,
ready in the National Guard, are
able to continue with its wee
training, should pass into these
serve organizations.
On this premise, then, the Matt
al Guard need only to he trained
eGaipped for defensive warfare at
start, presumably along the coasts
land frontiers. Later. after 1t
taken the field, it can further pur
Its training and add to its eqV
Ement and impedimenta in prepare
for the more exacting phases OF
bile warfare. During this inter
The reserves mobilize, recruit
"-ain under direction of corps
commanders and the entire mill
establishment is thus developed S
metrically for the decisive OFTEN
effort.
Imagine the difference IN mora
Toes The outset between such a unit
SEN the proud record of its services
and previous war and with the BUSH
nfor- like procedure of its development,
erent that Of a regiment in the nat
for army of the World War, which
thrown together with no backgr
,teni- , achievement and a complies
60 -enca of previous relationship al
4hoAs component parts. And III
contrast the National Guard ans
sen :. .qular army. holding the battle
n e while the greater army of res
you Z being formed, with our ign'