Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1920 — GUARD SERVICE HIT [ARTICLE]

GUARD SERVICE HIT

Fourteen States Have No Militia, Reports General Carter. Strength of 68,100 Is Shown, as Against 101,300 Men Authorized by the Government. Washington.—Fourteen states hud no National Guard troop* recognised by the federal government on June 80. according to the annual report of Maj. Gen. Jeune Carter, chief of the militia luureau. Just made public. They wbre Arkansas. Delaware. Illinois. Indiana, Louisiana, MnusachusettA Montana. Nebraska, Nevada. New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and West Virginia. The recognised units of the guard had a total strength of 56.100 officers and men at the end of the fiscal year, the report said, against an authorized strength of 106,300, great difficulty having been encountered tn'obtaining recruits during the year. General Carter noted general public antipathy toward military affairs as among influences against which the reorganisation of the guard was proceeding. Discontent with the National Gunrfi service, be added, had been fostered by "tales of unfair treatment during the war spread by men with grievances, many of which found their way Into the public press.” Such complaints. General Carter said, could nor be substantiated upon investigation. "There is conclusive .proof," he continued, "that National Guard officers were not, as a class, discriminated against by Regular officers. Individual cases of Injustice have been cited by members of congress and of the National Guard to make it appear that unjust discrimination existed generally. As a general rule National Guard officers were treated with more consideration than were regular officers under the same conditions. Causes which retarded recruiting have been gradually overcome with the result that in* June more than 5,700 new men were obtained, the report said. Jealousies between National Guard units returning from overseas and those organized as home forces during the war have arisen, the report said, the latter wishing to continue as guard troops and retain possession of the armories. Steps to remedy this situation are being taken. General Carter said.