The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-01-13


rotary of the Navy DENLY will meet
with a generous response. World con-
dltlons are too unsettled, and domes-
tic conditions are too unstable to
warrant reduction in Uncle Sans
military and naval expenditures.
To the workingmen and poor farm
crs there is not a more vital question
than that of militarism. Militarism
is special, violent, mechanical bar
rler to the achievement of working
class freedom. In recent years the
capitalists have been making giant
strides in militarizing America. Our
owning class has been making ire
mendous progress in building up gil
gantlc military machines to fight for
its interests at home and abroad.
The responsible navy and war depart
ments have repeatedly and frankly
declared that our navy and army are
great industrial assets.
The National Guard
The cost Of national defense has
more than doubled in the last decade.
Likewise, the total number of indivi-
duals under training has more than
doubled.
One of the most important units in
the national military machine is the
Natpnal Guard. According to the
last report of the Secretary Of War,
this military body now has a total
strength of 160,598 men divided
amongst the various states and Porto
Rico.
Recently the big employers have
begun to pay considerable attention
to the National Guard. State Legis-
latures are increasing the appropria-
lions for these units. The reason for
this growing interest and expendi-
ture of funds In behalf of the various
state militias is obvious. The National
Guard has been used by the capital
lists against the workers more than
any other division of the national
military organization.
It is interesting 20 note that the
ratio of increase in the National
Guard Is almost directly proportional
to the intensity of working class I'M
rest in the country. During the fiscal
year 1921 when the country was on
the eve of great strike wave and
the bosses were preparing the open
shop drive, the National Guard in
creased 102 per cent in its aggregate
strength according to the Chief of
the Militia Bureau. In 1922 in the
midst of the terrific class struggles
involving over a million workers, the
National Guard gained 40 per cent in
strength. In 1923 with strikes and
industrial unrest somewhat abated,
the employers and their state and
federal governments paid less atten-
ton to the National Guard and the
rate of increase fell to a point of
practical insignifcance.
The War On the Workers
That the capitalists have turned
the various state military bodies into
safe investments is proved by an ex-
animation of the most recent history
Of the National Guard. An analysis
of the latest Annual Report of the
Chief of the Militia Bureau brings to
light startling evidence establishing
beyond doubt that the National
1;'ard is more and more being used
by the bosses to wage relentless war
on the workers. In his report for
1923, the Chief of the Militia Bureau
put the case Of the employing class
bluntly in these words: "The National
Guard, it may be safely assumed, has
the loyal support turnout the country
of the conservative citizen.
The story Of the National Guard
movements in the last year reads like
the dispatches from the front sent by
the best of war correspondents. When
one goes thru the last report of Ma
tional Guard activities he recalls the
stirring reports of Sir Philip Gibbs
from the French and Flanders
fronts. Cavalry squadrons, infantry
battalions, medical detachments, tank
corps, headquarter troops, service de-
tachments, field artillery corps, ma
chine gun companies, coast artillery
divisions, howitzer and train divi-
sions, and anti-air craft artillery-all
Of these have been turned into action
in the last fiscal year against the
workers who were struggling against