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Show PRESIDENT SENDS i NOTE TO A MOTHER ,1 Explains Why the National j Guard Boys Are Being I Kept on Border. ! I 1 Washington, July 26. In reply to a complaint from Mrs. Henry Smith of Winamac, Indiana, who has a son In the National Guard, President Wil-son Wil-son wrote today that the guard was j being kept on the Mexican border to protect the country not for drill and I tho service the men were performing J jH was an honor to them and a necessity ' to the United States. I The president's letter was mado j public to answer the criticism that ' national guardsmen are not being cared for properly. It follows: ' I "Your letter of July 23d distresses I me a good deal because It shows L I that you have not been correctly in- formed as to the purpose of having t the national guard at the border. It ( I is not for the purpose of drill but j j for the purpose of protecting the coun-try. coun-try. The service the men are per- ! forming there is an honor to them H and a necessity to the United States. , I cannot believe that the men in the ' ! national guard would wish to be ex- I ' '. cused from it or would lose heart j ' because of the discomfort and incon-, incon-, veniences of the service. "The war department has the camps on the border under the most ( H careful inspection and is using every j means known to make them sanitary ' ' and safe against disease. The health f 1 record of the men on the border, both j the regulars and the national guards-men, guards-men, is exceptionally good. "I would not have you think that I do not sympathize with your distress In the absence of your son, but I beg ir I that you will take these larger mat-ters mat-ters into consideration." j ' 'H i San Antonio, Texas, July 26. Ap- 'H plications for relief from services, of i guardsmen with parents dependent j jH upon ,thenn now are pouring iuto ( j army headquarters at Fort Sam Hous- j ton at the rate of 1500 a week, it was announced today. Several hundred ', already have been released. ) |