Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
PATRIOTS CALLED
TO PROTECT CITY
Mayor Urges Able-Bodied
Volunteers to Guard Val
liable Resources
PREPAREDNESS NEE N G.

A call for all able-boded and patriotic
citizens to aid in the protection of Phila-
delphia was issued this afternoon by Mayor
smith at meeting of citizens called by the
Mayor to organize home defense COM
mittee
The Mayor declared that the United
States Is virtually at war now, and that
no time must be lost in guarding the re-
sources of this city and vicinity against at
tack from enemies of the Government.
The meeting was attended by iurists. city
officials and representatives of military and
naval organizations.
BOY SCOUTS TO Air
w :. Cowing. scout execut of the
Philadelphia Council of the Boy scouts OF
America. was present. He offered the COM
mittees the services of boy scouts as mes
sengers at Red Cross and srecruitinE sta
tons, and as clerks
Mayor Smith was nominated chairman
of the home defense committee, and George
Wentworth Carr was appointed secretary.
Captain +. B. Bispham, of the Philadelphia
Navy Yard, told of the plans which have
been completed for the organization of
| citizens army to be known as the Naval
Coast Defense Reserve. This citizens
army will guard bridges. railroad stations
| and lines, munition plants, the port of
| Philadelphia, Delaware Bay and the Jersey
| and Delaware coasts.
| The Mayor in his address, said in part
| I'VE are sitting volcano. We are in
| war already. called you here to make
| plans for the defense of Philadelphia, and
| am pleased at the splendid response to
| my call.
'The story Of the happenings Of the last
| two weeks Is Illuminating. | called upon
| Secretary Daniels. of the navy, and pro-
| tested against the keeping of interned Ger
man sailors at the navy yard Mr.. Daniels
called in Admiral Benson and we all agreed
that II would be best for Commandant Rus
sell to take me into his confidence so that
we could work together for the protection
| of Philadelphia.
II visited the Navy Yard and was shown
| the precautions taken to prevent the escape
of the sailors. Although ] was satisfied, !
insisted that Philadelphia policemen he
placed outside the yard. ! am proud to
say that it was Philadelphia policeman
who discovered the escape of the Germans.
| I am happy to state that the Germans will
he removed from this city tomorrow"
Judge Patterson in nominating Mayor
Smith las chairman of the home defense
committee. said "Now is the time for
action. We want n business man and a
patriot for chairman of this committee
place in nomination our own patriotic
Mayor" The Mayor was elected unan-
imously.
RESOLUTION OF LOYALTY
a resolution which proclaims the loyalty
| of the people of Philadelphia unanimously
was adopted by the committee and Endorsed
by John -. Mayer, secretary of the Ger.
man Society of Pennsylvania and an office,
in several other German societies in Phila
| delphia.
The resolution is: We the members OF
the Philadelphia Home Defense Committee
representing most of the people of Phila
delphia generally, pledge the ungrudgng
support of all men and women In Phila
delpha and all its resources to the Presi
dent of the United States in his efforts tc
maintain the honor and dignity of the natior
and protect the lives of Americans on lanC
and sea-"
A copy was Immediately wired to Presl
| dent Wilson by Mayor Smith.