Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-01-06

OMMENDATION for the Ma
4 tional Guard of the United
States not only for its high
~ state of efficiency but for its
loyalty and devotion to duty
exhibited when its members continued
to- drill without pay for part time
when the Federal funds were cut IS
contained in the annual report OF
Maj. Gen. George e. Leach. chief Of
the National Guard Bureau OF the
War Department.
THE National Guard" said Gen.
Leach, has shown that 1t is possible
to produce on the basis Of an evening
drill a week and a fortnight's field
training, at relatively small cost, a
military organization capable OF rem
dering useful service to the States
and to the Nation. AS State force
the National Guard has come to be
recognized as real asset in time OF
disaster or public distress, while as
the National Guard of the United
States it is capable of serving, with
moderate additional training, as a
combat force in time Of war. The
value of the National Guard has
come to be so widely appreciated ana
service in its ranks has become so
popular that, were the authority and
funds granted. its strength, on the
same high plane Of personnel, could
be doubled Immediately.
administration, on high general
level, has come to be routine and al
most automatic. The outstanding re-
cent developments have been an in
creasingly high quality of personnel
and continued improvement in train
ing; so much so that the temporary
reductions in appropriations and other
handicapS imposed as a result OF re-
cent economic disturbances have not
appreciably lowered standards Of eff
cheney"
Then, taking up the matter Of the
loyalty of the Guard when the drill
funds were cut, Gen. Leach continued:
National policy required that the
number of authorized drills on a pay
basis be cut Is per cent. So great
was the loyalty of the citizen soldiers
and so genuine their interest in their
work that the troops donated their
time to make possible the normal
number of drills. Reductions in pay
inflicted hardships in many cases,
complicated the work. and increased
the hazards of paymaSterS. In many
cases Regular Army instructors were
withdrawn for duty with the Civilian
Conservation Corps, or could not be
given funds for visits Of instruction.
Except in the case of correspondence
courses, which suffered. the troops
carried on their own instruction. The
reduction in the ammunition allow
ances was met by the introduction of
the artillery trainer and wider use
of sub calibre weapons and other eco
nomical training devices or methods.
Changing artillery from horse-drawn
to truck-drawn units effected savings
in training time as well as in money.
The National Guard, Unexpectedly
forced to operate under conditions of
uncertainty and to adapt itself quickly
to changing conditions, met the test
successfully. found in it a wholesome
exercise, and proved its intelligence,
loyalty. adaptability and high mo-
rale."
Estimates for the training camp to
be held this Summer for the troops
of the National Guard of the District
of Columbia are being prepared in
the headquarters here. Although no
word has been received from the
headquarters of the United States
Army Third Corps Area in Baltimore.
Md. or from the War Department
as to the approval of the proposed
mobilization of the 29th National
Guard Division, the estimates are be-
ing prepared with this idea in mind.
The estimates have to be in the
War Department by January 20, but
are being delayed here pending re-
ceipt of information from the various