Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-02
Want Assistant
Secretary to Handle
Nat. Guard Affairs

OCCICCdIy W HdIlulc
Nat. Guard Affairs.
Washington, Dec. 1.-(AP)-Di-
vorce Of the Militia Bureau of the
War Department from General
Staff control through appointment OF
an Assistant Secretary to handle all
National Guard affairs under ap-
preparations separate from those for
the regular army. is recommended
by Major General George c. Rick
ards, head Of the Pennsylvania Ma
tional Guard, in his annual report
made public today as chief of the
Bureau.
Progress Of the National Guard has
been hindered as a whole, General
Richards declared, by the tendency
of the War Department General staff
to take over certain administrative
functions of the Chief of the Militia
Bureau"
TT should be apparent to the Cen
eral Staff" the report continued
that the Militia Bureau has a COM
petent- staff of regular army officers
who are familiar with the National
Guards of all the states, and know
their problems through more init
mate contact with them than it is
possible for any other War Depart
ment agency to have"
Il am convinced" the General de-
clared, that sound business prin-
ciples and best interests of national
defense will be served when the
Chief, Militia Bureau, shall have his
duties fully defined by regulations
If not by law, and be permitted to
exercise them. My experience leads
me to the conclusion that it (the Ma
tional Guard) should have a separate
appropriation. This would eliminate
the feeling which now appears to be
prevalent in the regular army to the
effect that moneys used for the main
tenance of the National Guard are
being taken from funds necessary
for the support of the regular army.
TT is my firm conviction, based on
long experience and close study,
that had the Chief, Militia Bureau
been permitted to administer the af-
fairs of the Militia Bureau. as ! be-
lieve was contemplated by the Con-
gress, and to have handled the APP
preparations in his own way instead
of being bound by the actions of the
Secretary of War, which actions
were based on recommendations of
the General Staff, strength of
10000 could have been reached and
maintained throughout the years
1925 and 1926.
due to the restrictions placed
upon it by higher authority, the
Militia Bureau was forced to stop
Federal recognition of new units. re-
strict recruitment, and reduce the
number of armory drills. thus leav-
ing a considerable unused balance
of funds which was appropriated by
the Congress for these specific pur-
poses"
General Richards complained that
present War Department policy of
conducting examinations for general
officers in the Guard only annually
was "a real injustice" because it
kept vacancies open for months and
was not in harmony with the prompt
promotion for regular officers. He
also deplored other "hindrances" to
the guard development, and added:
II do not wish to be understood as
condemning the whole War Depart
ment policy as it relates to the Ma
tional Guard, for l trust I am too
no THAT. AS Il IG-
suit Of my experience during one
year as a member of the War De-
partment General Staff, four years as
Chief. Militia Bureau. and forty
three years of continuous active Ma
tional Guard service. I feel qualified
to speak on this subject.
There is much to praise and COM
paratively little to condemn. Jeal-
ousy, animosity and personal ad-
vancement must have 10 place in
this great undertaking. which has
won such hearty approval.
Il still urge strongly as ever the
amendment of the law so as to pro-
vide that there shall be issued to
federally recognized National Guard
officers commissions in the Federal
Service, to become effective upon call
or draft into the service of the
United States without reference to
appointment or commission in the
Officers Reserve Corps.
II respectfully recommend the ad-
Visibility of abolishing the title of
Chief, Militia Bureau, and instead to
amend the law so as to make this
officer an assistant secretary of war,
with his duties specifically defined by
law"
General Richards served as Chief
OF the Bureau for all but two days
of the fiscal year covered by the re-
port and signed the body of the
document which included his rec
concentrations, at the request of his
successor. the present chief, Major
General Greed c. Hammond, of the
Oregon National Guard.
General Hammond made no refer
ence to his predecessors conclusion
in the brief word he added to the re-
port, although he commented on "the
wonderful work" done by General
Richards as militia chief The new
chiefs recommendations were con-
fined to requests for modificatio of
the nonrecognition policy of the de-
partment as to new guard units.
particularly in the case of air units
for the four guard divisions still
lacking in this respect. the Thirty
Second (Michigan and wisconsin,,
the Thirty-Th 1llinois); the
Twenty-Seventh (Ohio) and the
Forty Fourth (New York. New
Jersey and Delaware). -
In connection with the need of the
guard for increased appropriations.
General Hammond pointed out that
many articles issued to the state
troops formerly by the War Depart
ment from surplus war stocks. now
must be charged against guard APP
and that the most
gratifying" increase in attendance at
drills merited an increase in
appropriations for pay purposes.