Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1916 — National Guard Certain To Be Main Reserve Army. [ARTICLE]

National Guard Certain To Be Main Reserve Army.

‘ President Wilson has abandoned the continental army plan which was the summer-vacation inspiration of himself and Secretary Garrison. In doing so he has acknowledged that the support to put the plan into effect was lacking. He has found that there is a very strong movement in congress to provide for the needed preparedness by recognizing the militia and giving it the first real chance it has had since it was taken over by the federal government several years ago. He has found that members of congress without regard to politics have determined that the miiltia shall form the basis for the reserve army. That his acceptance of this plan should result in the resignation of Secretary Garrison seems very unnecessary, for the . president has often said that he was not a military man in any respect and did not wish to force his ideas in opposition to those who have made military science a long study. That a member of the president’s cabinet should set himself above the machinery of lawmaking does not seem quite proper. It is not becoming, in fact, for a president to expect all the time that his dictates shall be embodied into law. If that was to be accepted the congress would amount to nothing and the expense of it could be saved. Mr. Garrison was doubtless sincere but sincerity does not mean that he was right. The continental army plan never received any great amount of warm approval from over the country and congress has reflected the lack of approval by seeking other ways to accomplish the same thing sought by Mr. Garrison and by the president. While regarding the continental army plan as impractical we have admired the enthusiasm of the men who proposed it, but the president has properly not undertaken to force it on congress and Mr. Garrison might have accepted any other plan adopted with good grace and thus have avoided embarrassing the president. The congress is sure to adopt some plan of extension of our preparedness. The president wants it done and the people generally want it done. President Wilson has never done a fairer thing since he became the chief executive than to abandon his own ideas in the matter in order not to hinder the adoption of ideas varying slightly but seeking the same end. Congress has made extensive investigation into-the needs of the country. It must recognize that a reserve army well trained must be maintained. It must realize that the patriotism of men will not alone cause them to submit ‘to the training to provide that army. If universal training can not be adopted and it can not, then reasonable pay for the sacrifices of the officers and men of the secondary army must be legalized. The militia furnishes a nucleus that deserves being made the rallying force for a larger and better trained reserve force. The service calls for sacrifices that many are unwilling to make. This being the case, those who make the sacrifice and hold themselves ready to abandon business and home on an instant’s call and will submit to the training that will produce efficiency, deserve to be paid. Mr. Garrison may not have seen it, but President Wilson does and members of congress do and it certain to be the program adopted.