Evening star., 1948-08-12
A Federal NutionuI Guard?

A Federal National Guard?
The lines are drawn for what promises
to be an all-out battle over the proposal
of National Military Establishment Com
mittee that the Federal Government take
over control of the National Guard.
no-surrender fight is in prospect between
State and Federal authorities If Defense
Secretary Forrestal decides to press the
issue.
There is much to be said for the idea
of extending unihcation to the reserve
components of the defense establishment.
The committee, composed OF high-level
representatives of the Army, the Navy and
the Air Force, has done good job OF
saying it in its advisory report to Defense
Secretary Forrestal The plan to have the
Army and Air Force take over, bodily,
the National Guard and its air arm Is a
drastic one-one that u.s. as Mr.. Forrestal
put it, extremely provocative. 1t runs
counter to national policy since the early
days of the Republic. The militia question
was serious bone of contention at the
Constitutional Convention of 1887. There
were those who feared the retention OF
military power by the respective States,
but the convention felt that it would be
impracticable to maintain large stand
ing Army and that the militia would pro-
vide added security not only for individual
States but for all. In those frontier days
Indian raids were still a menace requiring
constant alertness of militiamen.
L. !, a1oo rnI
and 50 have the National Guard and it's
mission. Although originally intended for
service only within the States, it has be-
come a powerful wartime adjunct of the
Army in battles on foreign soil. 1t has
rendered distinguished service in two
world wars And the new National Guard
will be assigned even greater responsible
ties in any future war. Since another war
is expected to bring threats of atomic
attack and air-borne invasion to this con-
tinent, the Guard is being equipped and
trained as our first line of defense against
such raids. 1t is being supplied with anti
aircraft artillery, armor and latest types
of fighters and bombers. None of this
heavy armament is intended to accom-
plish the peacetime task of preserving
order among the civilian populace. 1t is
designed for war against the Nations
enemies.
That being the case, there is logic in
the committees argument that the Guard
has become essentially an arm of the
regular military forces in the mission OF
national defense, rather than an arm
of the States for the suppression of civil
disorders. 1t is inconceivable that the
Guard would use artillery, armor or
fighter planes in performing it's State
functions And, since its overall role has
changed with the years-and especially
with the advent of atomic bombs and
rockets-the national security undoubtedly
would be benefited by closer integration
of the Guard with the Army and the Air
Force.
On the other side of the picture is the
fact that the States have right to main
tain an adequate militia and have need
for such an organization in time of riot
or other disturbance beyond the capacity
of the police to control. To meet this
legitimate need the committee proposes
that new military outfits be organized by
the States, trained solely for intra-State
duties. These would be akin to the militia
units of the frontier days. This would, OF
course, involve large additional expendi-
lures by the States-and by the Federal
Government, If a subsidy program should
be adopted.
1t is not likely that State authorities will
take kindly to such suggestion. They
will prefer to hold on to the existing
Guard-as a matter of historic right and
regardless of requirements of national
defense. The probability is that Mr.. For
restal's committee has confronted Congress
with hot potato, involving States rights
and other political implications, that it
will shun unless forced to take it up by
Secretary Forrestal. This could develop
into unification battle beside which that
other one would pale into insignificance.
The most unfortunate aspect of this
impending struggle is that it is bound to
be waged in an atmosphere of political
heat when cool, objective consideration is
needed. The question of whether the
Guard should be federalized in peace as
we'll as war is one which has vital
bearing on the national security. de-
cision either way should not be influenced
by issues not directly related to the primary
problem of strengthening the Nations
defense in the atomic era.
The Arowuks
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