The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-08
MILITIA BILL, COMPLYING
With NATIONAL DEFENSE
ACT, HEARD BY COMMITTEE

served Judge Burpee. but IL STANDS
today as the law of the land, and
there is no. immediate prospect that
congress will attempt to make any
serious changes in the bill. Among
other things which the bill requires
is that every one of the states IN
the union which takes any part What-
ever in the military affairs OF the
federal government, shall make its
laws conform exactly and precisely to
the national law, within 60 days after
the adjournment of the leg1sla-
! ture."
He then explained Governor iol-
combs creating the board to consider
this emergency, and stated that the
board, meeting last December, had
considered the laws of other states
and that Col. Ives, former judge ad-
vocate general of the state, had pre-
pared the law which he presented to
the board; that the board gave the
| law considerable study, made some
changes, and then presented it in the
| form in which it went to the general
assembly through Senator Brooks. 1t
| is the belief of the board that the law
as drafted does bring Connecticut
within the scope of the national de-
Tense act. He pointed out that the
law increases the numerical strength
of the companies, so that within SIX
months there must be, 100 members,
instead of the 60 men inSthe infan-
try companies as at present
Judge Burpee explained that if the
state failed to comply with the fed
eral requirements, it automatically
cuts itself off from participating i'm
federal appropriations for the ma
tional guard.
"But there is a higher reason he
continued. "lt is one Of patriotism.
And if our state militia is in any
sense to be more than a state con-
stabulary, it must conform to the fed
eral requirements"
fudge .Burpee then left to Col. Ives
the explanation of the various provi-
sions of the law, which he went in
to at lergth.
RepreHen tative Foord compliment
ed the board upon its work. He sug-
gested that in, view&of the difficulty
that has been experienced in the serv-
ing of papers upon 'dilatory members
of the guard, by sheriffs and con-
stables, that the language of the act
be broadened so as to make service
by an Indifferent person equally eff
language of the law relating to the
compensation of company clerk, $25
annually, be made clear, that it might
not be regarded that this sum was to
be expended by the clerk for sup
plies.
AS third suggestion, he advocat-
/ ed the inclusion Of dependent moth
! ers of soldiers Mn the pension provi-
sion of the bill.
There was a gallery of about 100 at
the hearing. When Senator Brooks,
asked if any person desired to speak
in opposition to the bill, there was
not an answer.
The committee expects to prepare a
report with all expedition, for the i'm
mediate consideration Of the general
assembly.
The committee on military affairs
ordinarily is not regarded as an i'm
portant division of the general as
sembly. But the crisis has made this
committee, as well as the ordinarily
unimportant committee on federal re-
1ations, among the most important Of
the 35 committees of the legislature.
The committee includes Senators
Brooks and O'Sullivan, and Repre-
senatives tRudd, Salisbury; Lupatin,
New Haven; Morehouse, Stratford );
Kelsey, Killingworth; Sullivan, Gull
ford; Conrad, Huntington; Dickinson,
Hartland; Williams, P1ainfield; Ell
CART, Colchester; Bushnell, West
brook; Holt, New London.
Governor Holcolhnb's volunteers in
the census work have established
headquarters at SO Pearl street, Hart
ford, the Connecticut Mutual Life In
surance building. Yesterday they
mailed to the selectmen and mayors
throughout the state letters calling
! on them, in turn, to enlist volunteer
workers to proceed with the work.