Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-15
The Old Army and The New


The retirement of Major F.. H.
Farnum, United States Army, who
served as instructor of infantry for
the Maine National Guard before
the war; and who returned to Maine
to perform similar duties after the
war. directs attention. to the re-
markable change which has taken
place in the relations between the
regular army and the National
Guard since it became the practice
to assign officers of the regular.
army as instructors of the civilian
soldiers and keep them at such duty
until they were thoroughly familiar
with the National Guard and came
to appreciate all its problems.
Prior to the period which such as
signments came to be made there
was a feeling of jealousy, suspicion
and even hostility manifested by the
National Guard towards the regular
army.The civilian soldiers, realizing
their deficiencies, did not accept the
friendly criticisms of the professional
soldiers in a good spirit.The regular
officers measured the Guardsmen by
the same standard by which regular
troops were rated. They found so
many ways in which the civilian
soldiers failed to function according
to the regular army requirements,
and it was SO difficult for them to
get the viewpoint OF the National
Guard. that there was a great deal
of friction and i'll concealed hostility.
This resulted in many complaints.
The several states submitted to the
demands OF the War Department as
to the training and administration
of troops with reluctance and for
several years the professional sol
diers despaired of ever being able to
bring the National Guard up to a
point of efficiency even approaching
the regular army, while the civilian
soldiers, instead of cooperating with
the War Department, sought every
opportunity to assert their independ-
ence.
The regular army's contactwith the
National Guard had not been uni
formly agreeable or satisfactory. In
the war with Spain they had seen
the state troops favored because OF
their political influence. and on oc-
casions when the civilian soldiers
had acquitted themselves we'll. the
regulars saw them given praise far
beyond what they were really en-
titled to while the regulars them
selves, always steady and depend
able We're not even mentioned in
dispatches.
Then the War Department began
sending young and ambitious Oftic-
ers to serve as instructors OF Nation
al Guard troops. They came prejudic-
cd and reluctantly but soldicr-like
they set out to accomplish what
they regarded as the impossible with
the spirit which our regular soldiers
have always exhibited. These young
officers not only impaired knowledge
to the National Guard but they ac-
quired vast amount of instruction
themselves. The best among them
soon began to gain confidence in
the civilian soldiers and champion
their cause. They acquired tact and
came to understand the Churchman's
viewpoint in relation to all questions.
1t was helpful to both branches Of
the service and when the war came
it proved Of inestimable value to
the country.
Major Farnum, whose retirement
from the army at his own request
has necess!tated his withdrawal as
instructor of the Maine infantry. is
so much to the era of good feeling
which now prevails between the re-
gulars and the Guardsmen. He has
been a friend, an advisor. cham
pion as we'll as an instructor of the
Maine National Guard. He has help
cd to make the regular army offic-
ers of high rank understand the
Guard and because of him Maine
soldiers in turn have come to hold
the regular army in the greatest re-
spect and esteem. This helped the
Maine troops during the war. 1t has
helped them in the period of re-
organization since the war. 1t has
established a contact between the
professional and the civilian soldier
which will probably never be broken
The country owes Maj F'arnum and
many other officers of his kind a
debt of gratitude which it can never
pay.
This fine officer who has just re-
tired from the army takes with him
into civilian life the respect of every
officer and man with whom he has
served.
BY him all regular officers are
measured and weighed. Hostility and
jealousy between these two branches
of the service no longer exist in this
State. On the contrary there is good
feeling, desire to cooperate and
to help and profound admiration for
the professional soldiers who lead
our army. What this means to the
country can only be understood
when we review our history and sec
how frequently there has been
great losses and almost irreparable
mistakes made because the regular
army and the volunteer soldiers did
not work together in harmony in
National defense,