Evening star., 1938-12-04
Increase in Militia
STRENGTH Is Urqed


statement in his annual report to
the President that the safety of the
country, in the event of threatened
invasion. rested squarely on the
shoulders Of protective force of
100000 men. has drawn attention
to the Importance of the recon-
mendations of the National Guard
Officers Association that prompt
steps be taken to bring the militia
units. not only up to full strength
IN personnel, but in equipment. The
Secretary called attention that this
initial protective force included the
National Guard and the Regular
Army and it would be the duty
OF this force to hold back the enemy
until such time as the national
armies could be recruited, drilled
and equipped.
The association said that the
United States should promptly at
tend to bringing her national defense
to that well-balanced minimum
status-as to personnel, ordnance
and ammunitions reserves. In par
ticular, it was recommended that
the National Guard component of
the Army should be progressively
increased toward that strength of
435 900 equipped men which is de-
clared to be its proper ultimate
strength by the National Defense
Act in 1920, which act, the associa-
ton said, embodied the sober con-
ciusions of the component and
nonpartisan National Defense Com
mission which was convened at the
incidence of the then President
Woodrow Wilson, being desirous
that, contrary to our historic former
negligence, we should learn from
our mistakes and should draw wis
dom from our experience in the
particular World War which had
then in 1919 just terminated"
1t was urged that the first pro-
gressive increment should be Is, 900
men and that such progressive in
creases should be initially effected
in such a manner as to correct
gradually the present inequalities in
the per capita strengths of the
National Guard of the several States.
They also recommended that in
effecting the increases there should
be no reduction of the strength,
either in units or numbers, of any
National Guard organizations now
existent in any State. Territory or
the District Of Columbia.
AS to the equipment, it was recon-
mended that the War Department
adopt for the National Guard a
greatly accelerated program of re-
armament with view to fully
rearming and equipping at the
earliest possible moment that por-
ton of the land forces included
in the initial protective force as
outlined in the War Departments
mobilization plans. It is notorious
that the National Guard units, in
many instances, are equipped with
material of old vintage which would
be of little use in defenses against
an enemy equipped with the very
latest war machines. While the
National Guard Bureau of the War
Department has been making every
effort to provide the modern equip
ment for National Guard units, his
efforts have been handicapped by
the lack of sufficient appropriations
with which to require it.
There is q possibility that in con-
nection with the general interest in
under the present world
war conditions, that Congress may
be impressed at the coming session
of increasing the funds for which
new and modern equipment is to be
provided for the National Guard
units of the country. At any rate,
it is believed that strong representa-
tions on behalf Of the Guardsmen
will be made at the approaching
session Of Congress.