OCR Text |
Show NATIONAL GUARD DILL AMENDED Senate Votes to Require Guardsmen to Take Oath to Obey President as Well as Governor. BORAH CHARGES GRAFT Claims Money Now Annually Appropriated Is Shamefully Wasted Arouses Senators Sena-tors by Aspersions. . Washington. April 15 To further strengthen federalization of the isa-tional isa-tional Guard the senate today, by a vote of 33 to 23, amended the army reorganization bill to require guardsmen guards-men to take an oath to obey the orders of the president as well as the governor gov-ernor of their state. The amendment was presented by Senator Wadsworth, who Baid It originated ori-ginated In the National Guard Itself. Sutherland Urges Amendment. Senator Sutherland, Republican, urged adoption of his amendment increasing in-creasing tho coast artillery corps at once to maximum strength. "Our coast defenses have cost $11,-000,000 $11,-000,000 and are among the best In the world," he said. "But, wo now have enough men to man only one-fourth one-fourth of the guns My amendment would give us enough men to man one-half." one-half." Borah Arouses Senate. Senator Borah, Republican, attacking attack-ing federal pay for tho National Guard, aroused the senate today, with a charge that the $8,000,000 a year no wappropriated by the government for the National Guard, was "shamefully "shame-fully wasted," and some of it "embezzled." "em-bezzled." "That's a pretty serious charge," said Senator Pomerene, Democrat, interrupting. in-terrupting. No Benefit to Enlisted. "Woll, 1 make It without any qualification," quali-fication," Senator Borah replied, and he read from war department reports to show that most of the fund had been utilized by officers of tho National Na-tional Guard for themselves and that enlisted men had practically no benefit of it. "If senators here will examine the record of these appropriations," Senator Sen-ator Borah continued, "they will hesitate hesi-tate about appropriating $50,000,000 for the National Guard as It Is now proposed to do. "In Uils bill you are not appropriating appropriat-ing for war. You aro not giving the people what they are expecting to pay for We are filling this bill up from beginning to end with purely political appropriations and you couldn't proceed pro-ceed a step under tho guise of national na-tional preparedness." National Guard Defended. Senators Pomerene and Reed staunchly defended the National Guard. "There may be a thief in the National Na-tional Guard, but so there have been in tho regular army, and senators from this body have been sent to Jail," declared Senator Reed. "But I am not willing to hear honorable men maligned without sufficient provocation." provoca-tion." Lodge Defends Army. Senator Lodgo defended the regular army and declared It was time to stop casting aspersions upon It. "The regular army has fought and won all our battles and is fighting for us in Mexico today," he said, "and I am sick and tired of hearing it attacked." at-tacked." On a vote Senator Sutherland's amendment was defeated Cummins Rebukes Borah. Senator Cummins, Republican, said he was shockod at Senator Borah's statements. "I do not believe the charges that National Guard officers have misappropriated misap-propriated the nation's money stolen it for there Is no moral difference," he said. "I thing consideration of this 1111 should be halted while the senate ascertains whether officers of the National Na-tional Guard are guilty of such charges." Borah Supports His Charge. Senator Borah, in support of his charge, said "I find, according to th report of the war department, that in the Ohio National Rifle match In 1911, $13,S92 was expended on tho state rifle team, all of whom were officers, in the period from July 22, 1911, to Sept. 23, 1912, a colonel drew pay to tho amount of $1,411. In the period from July 1, 1911, to Sept. 15, 1912, another omccr also In the same state, a colonel, drew pav to the amount of $1,001. "In the period from July 30, 19111, to Sept. 1, 1913, a third colonel in that state, drew pay to the amount of $1,299. So the entire appropriation or apportionment, to the state of Ohio for this year practically went to the offlcors and there is no report that any portion of it is going to the enlisted men." Senator Borah stood by his statement state-ment In spite of a rush of senators to defend tho guard of tholr own states. "I do not know that thore are officers of-ficers of the 'National Guard whom I would distrust personally," he said. "I call the attention of senators that I have not made a general charge. I have said that the money appropriated under tho Dick law has been shamelessly shame-lessly used "Let them disprove the-iiguresandi if they do I am not too proud to apologize, apolo-gize, but I will say now that the more they are disposed to delve into the records of the last eight years, the less they will be inclined to exposo their findings on the floor of the senate." |