Evening star., 1940-09-26
Injustices 10 Guard
In Mobilization Laid
To Department
Iowa Adjutont General
Hits Uncertainties and
Promotion 'Inequities'
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.

by IAN LIN bhOOhE JONLS.
Grave concern over the future OF
the National Guard. because of al
legged injustices charged to the War
Department in carrying out the de-
fense mobilization. was expressed by
Brig. Gen. Charles H. Grahl. adju-
tant general of Iowa and president
of the Adjutants General ASsocla-
ton. in an address before that Or
ganization here, it was learned to-
day.
The speech, which did not come
to light until after the adjutants
general groups tWo-day meeting at
the Washington Hotel adjourned
last night. took the War Depart
ment sharply to task for its asserted
treatment Of the National Guard,
mentioning as grievances the uncer-
tainties surrounding the dates OF
calling out various units for the year
of Federal service which Congress
has decreed; alleged ineQuitieS in
promotion and other measures de-
clared to be unfair to the Guards
men.
Schedules Confidential.
1T is passing strange Gen. Grahl
told his fellow adjutants general
that the National Guard, the or
ganization most affected by this
lthe Guard mobilization has not
to this moment been advised as to
the probable date of induction
Schedules have been prepared
labeled confidential and not to be
shown to any one but Regular
Army officer. 1t is difficult to un-
derstand such procedure.
Such information as We have re-
ceived as TO the probable date OF
induction has generally come 10 us
through the press or the radio. The
first increment OF the Guard. ap-
proXimately 6O5O0, containing four
infantry divisions and other troops
we're ordered to active duty Sep
tember Is. These organizations and
units were selected by the chief
of the National Guard Bureau and
supposedly were selected because
they were not looted in essential
industrial or vital areas.
Delay Causes Complications.
such information as We have in
dicates that there will be another
increment on October IS. of only
three divisions. two incrementS IN
November in which there are nc
divisions, and that all the rest will
be ordered to active duty on jan
uary 3 and 20. 1941. or later. II
was confidently expected that the
National Guard would be ordered
to active duty long before those
later dates. and failure to do SO
has caused no end of problems and
complications to our people.
This delay has played havoc with
certain of our personnel-the pro-
feSsional and notably the medical
personnel. In general our people
have been stymied. they have been
unable to conduct their various
affairs, business and otherwise in a
normal manner. They have been
and still are in a state of utter
uncertainty. Many have leased their
homes. closed their businesses. Sc
cured leaves of absence for one year,
generally from october l. 1910. to
October /. l94l. and now must walt
in most instances four to five months
before receiving their orders. Such
a state Of affairs is intolerable. Some
solution must be found.
I'm the induction and mobilization
of the National Guard. the States
have co-operated to the utmost de-
gree with the War Department and
certainly the War Department
should cooperate to the fullest ex-
tent with the States"
Adjutants General Not Called.
Gen. Grahl added that during the
week of September Is certain State
staff officers. specifically assigned
to selective service, were ordered to
active duty, and he added:
THE adjutants general were not
included and it is not contemplated
they will be unless they are desig-
mated by their Governors as the
executive officers of the selectlve
service and under such conditions
as the War Department will provide
at later date Failure to order adj
jutants general who are Federally
recognized to active duty can only
be construed as breaking Of faith
and a notification of the act Of
June IS, 1893.
I'm the several States the State
detachments have been specially
trained over a period Of years and
now they are not to be ordered to
active duty at all and must either
be transferred or discharged. This
is unfair and unreasonable. Faith
and confidence cannot be inspired
or maintained by such tactics.
Almost insuperable burdens are
being imposed on the military de-
partment of the several States and
yet no aid is forthcoming in the
~f al A N