Evening star., 1940-08-25
By Richard L. Stokes.

declared. The measures ostensible pur-
pose is to give the National Guard a
year OF active training. But it also
confers authority on the President, ac-
cordng to congressional critics, to sum-
mon the Guard to armed service. with
or without a formal declaration of war
and either within or outside the ma
tional boundaries.
The conscription bill now pending
may be regarded as similar artiflce
for summoning to the colors in time of
peace section of that portion of the
national man power which is classified
as the Unorganized Militia. Thus the
conscription and National Guard meas
ures complement each other. The first
deals with unorganized and the second
with organized groups of the countrys
man power resources.
Flexible Procedure.
The remarkable flexibility of proce-
dure possible under free Interpretation
of the Constitution was illustrated in
1917, when President Wilson determined
to send the National Guard to Europe
His Attorney General ruled it would
be legal to "repel invasion" by the
process of dispatching the militia 5000
miles across the sea. In this way,
Thomas E. Gregory of Texas may have
discovered the stratagem of preventive
war" which has so we'll served the total
itarian countries.
The National Guard bill is historic in
that it crowns with success campaign
of many years to bring under absolute
Federal sway, in time OF peace, without
declaration either of war or domestic
emergency, an organization which be-
gan as an independent militia of the
States. Federal control may diminish,
of course, whenever the Guardsmen are
mustered back into State service. The
means used has principally been money
in the form of congressional appropria-
tions
Out of 395 1854 troops enrolled during
the Revolutionary War, l64,087 were
militia. Enlistments in the latter aver
aged three months. Desertions were eX-
tremely numerous The Second Conti-
mental Congress, in 1855, acting solely In
An advisory capacity. recommended the
organization of militia in the several
colonies. Some agreed to hold themselves
in readiness at a minutes notice, and so
arose the term minute men"
War of 1872.
During the War of 1912 occurred an
Illuminating incident, which was related
once more on the floor of the House last
week by Representative James w. Wads-
worth Republican, Of New York. At
the Niagara frontier were stationed 1000
Regulars and 1000 New York militia
men. The Regulars crossed the river
into Canada and stormed British artll-
lery positions on Queenstown Heights.
The enemy brought up reinforcements,
and an appeal was sent to the militiamen
to give aid and clinch the victory. They
refused, because there was no obligation
to serve outside the boundaries of New
York State.
The first Federal financial aid was
extended as early as 1908, but there was
no attempt to exert control. Not until
1880 was so much as 100000 voted by
Congress to the militia In 1887 the
grant was increased to 100000 yearly.
BY 1900 it was 81, 100000 and in 1929 1t
was S31, ,0OO, 900. The Federal appropria-
ton for the National Guard covering the
fiscal year 1s4o-41 is ST, ,476O00 On the
other hand, monetary support by the
States, at first exclusive, has shrunk until
today some of the poorest contribute
nothing. On an average, 1t is estimated
that the Federal Government now ap-
propriates for the National Guard more
than So for every 81 granted by the
States.
Federalixed Guard.
The origin of the present National
Guard dates from the Dick bill of 1908
1t provided that the organization, arma-
ment and discipline of the organized
militia" should be the same as in The
Regular Army, and authorized the Sec
retary of War to issue ammunition and
supplies at Federal expense. Inspections
by Regular Army officers were directed
and Regular Army officers were assigned
to the States as instructors. Participa-
tion by militiamen in maneuvers with
Regular Army forces was enjoined, with
pay, transportation and subsistence fur
nished by the Federal Government AZ
fairs of the National Guard were placed
in the hands Of an ofice in the War De-
partment.
Enlargements of Federal cooperation
and control were provided in the Ma
tional Defense Acts of 1916 and 1920.
Under the latter q Militia Bureau-which
in 1885 became the present National
Guard Bureau-was set up In the War
Department. The act Of 1920 introduced