Off Guard

To guard against fifth columnists within its gates, California needs a Home Guard of 30,000 men, according to Army esti mates. Last week, while stubborn Governor Olson and State Legislators wrangled and fought, California's Home Guards had dropped to about 3.000 overworked, ill-equipped, disgruntled men.

Two years ago, grinning Gordon Gar land celebrated his election as Speaker of the House by tearing out the telephone by which his predecessor had kept in touch with the Governor. Mr. Olson and the Legislators have been out of touch ever since, except when they wrangle.

The Legislature finally passed a $7,934,365 compromise bill calling for a total Guard enrollment of 28,080, but providing for only 7,000 on active duty. Mr. Olson tied up the whole business in a tangle of litigation. The Supreme Court upheld the law.

The wrangling spread. Enlistments in the Guard dropped to zero. For six weeks Guardsmen went unpaid. Morale dwindled. At half strength, Guards did double duty. The situation was desperate, said a Guard colonel, "particularly in regard to the San Francisco waterfront and the Golden Gate Bridge."

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