The daily worker., 1934-12-25
.ANTI.LABOR 0 R
USE STRESSED
BY MILITIA
National Guard Head
Asks Bigger Army
Against Workers

WASHINGTON, Dec. "a. - The
National Guard was described as a
leading military defence against
dangerous" domestic infections. -
in the annual report issued today
by Major General George E. Leach.
chief of the National Bureau Of the
National Guard.
Calling for more funds and in
creased equipment, Leach boasted
Of the use Of the National Guard
troops in "suppressing or prevent
ing civil commotion," referring to
the use Of the National Guard in
strikes.
The report shows that the Ma
tional Guard consists Of 1856 900 men
in the infantry divisions, 1928 in
the cavalry divisions, with other di-
visions bringing the grand total to
1S4,79l men, not including the 13, ,144
in the National Guard Reserve.
S1S,S44,OOO for Drilling
The building up of this military
machine as an instrument of vio-
lenc against the masses was re-
yealed in the figures showing ex-
penditures of $13,844, 900 for drills
alone with $9,162,oO0 additional for
equipment.
1t is significant that the N. r. A.
contributed 100000 through its
War National Guard Bureau.
The report also shows that dur
ing the recent strike wave, Congress
appropriated funds for 10000 new
gas masks for use in chemical at
tackS against strikers, doubling the
number of gas masks in the service.
Further as preparation for sup
pressing civil cornmotion," the Ma
tional Guard has been authorized to
obtain 152 airplanes, with 113 planes
now ready for instant action.
During the year, IA new light
machine guns were obtained, the
type particularly used in strikes be-
cause they can be moved quickly,
The report also shows that the Ma
tional Guard has been "euuipping
itself with adapters for all light
field artillery guns which have
added materially to mobility and ef-
fectiveness of this arm"
The military character of MANY
of the P. w. A. appropriations was
revealed in the report. which
showed that more than $4,000 600
was allotted to the National Guard
through the P. w. A., with $6,64O.-
600 more expected as soon as the
P. w. A. gets around to approving
the request which has ben placed
with it by the War Department.
1t was also revealed that the Ma
tional Guard is rapidly mechanic
ing its artillery to increase the
speed Of its movements.
so Motor Tanks
A startling announcement was
the figure showing the National
Guard in possession of so motor
tanks, with "motorization of the
75-mm. artillery to be completed by
Public Works funds by the first part
of the fiscal year 1885"
The total annual appropriation
for the National Guard was re-
vealed as $34,234 900.
Testimony at the Nye Senate in
vestigation showed that Leach,
writing recently of E. G. Goss, Lieu
tenant Colonel in the Reserve
Corps and president of the Lake
Erie Chemical Company, purveyors
of gas and machine guns to the tex
tile employers in the resent strike,
said that "Goss and his products
are the best insurance against So
cial disorder that I know"
Especially large concentration of
troops was reported in New York,
California, Massachusetts,, Illinois,
and Georgia, all centers of growing
mass unrest.
The report indicates an increase
in chemical warfare equipment, the
type used more and more frequently
in strikes.