South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-14
HOME GUARDS
IN FULL SWING
301 Applicants Reported at
First Meetings in All the
Wards Monday Night.

In accordance with the instruC-
tons Of the national and state coun-
ellis of defense TO form Immediately
home guards for 81. Joseph county.
meetings were held in all the wards
of the city last evening and 301 ap-
plications were filled and handed
over 10y the committeeman in charge
OF Majors Charles Calvert and Fred
l. Dennis.
Each infantry company is 10 have
maximum strength OF 65. The
composition OF such companies shall
be as follows: Captain. first lieuten-
ant. second lieutenant and 60 en-
listed men. From the list Of 90 men
at the proper time. will be selected
the required number of sergeants
and corporals.
No officer shall be chosen until his
appointment shall have received the
approval Of the military board Of
St Joseph county. a board Of five
members 20 be chosen by the county
council Of defense. The officers and
non-commissioned officers of each
company shall be selected on the
basis of competitive examinations
Board to Name Drill Masters.
Drill masters shall be selected i'm
mediately by the military board Of
the county From these drill mas
tiers one or two men shall be avail
able each drill night for each COM
pany These drill masters will be
chosen and will serve in accordance
with plans 10 be made known short
~ ~ the military board.
Ward meetings for the purpose of
enrolment. are I'm charge Of the
committeeman
Reports OF the various ward meet
ing follows:
Has Double Its Quota.
In the first ward there was rous-
ing meeting at the ColfaX school,
with about 200 present of whom
rs handed in enlistment blanks
nearly doubling the 90 necessary
for a company s. A Winchell,
chairman. and J. J. o. Brien and
Wilson Snyder. the military commit
tee appointed by the council of de
Tense had charge of the meeting,
and their cOmmitteeship was made
permanent. being elected by those
who enlisted, as the military board
of the company 10 cooperate with
the county board in the election OF
officers
The enlistment books are not
closed according TO Chairman Win
cheu. Those who are not accepted
for the company Of Ga will be held
i'm reserve.
In the second ward, at the Lin
den school Chairman G. II. Smoke
presided over an enthusiastic meet
ing assisted by Vice Chairman Stan
lev J. Klosinski Forty enrolment
cards were signed and more than
twice that number taken home for
fri ends
Chairman Smoke is holding the en-
rollment books open for a rev days
To give those who were not present
at the meeting an opportunity TO
sign their cards and return them
to him at his residence. 1925 w
Washington av., or 10 Vice Chair
man Klosinsxi. Any resident of the
second ward desiring enrolment
cards may secure them from Chair
man Smoke or Vice Chairman Klo-
sinski
Third Ward Gets &c.
The third ward meeting at the
Chaplin st. Saving bank, drew an
attendance Of about 40. and was pre-
sided over by Joseph Neff. the ward
military chairman. Neff explained
that the company would he under
the call Of the governor. same as the
national guard is at present. except
that il cannot be called to duty out
side the state. DR.. J. B. Berteling,
another member Of the committee,
talked on Germany and Of her mill
tary preparations. and how we need
some of the same kind Of training
in order to cope with her. His call
was for young men. Frank Labu-
zinski the third member of the COM
mittce also took part i'm the dis
cussion
Fourth Ward Meeting.
Fully 80 men attended the meet
ing to organize "A home guard COM
pany i'm the fourth ward, at the Co
ouilard school. The men were no
ticeably. for the most part, well over
the draft age, and the younger men,
those of draft age and under, were
by their absence.
Fifty signed the application cards
for membership IN the company 10
be organized. while others took the
forms home 10 examine more care
fully before attaching their sigma
lures.
Fifth Ward.
Fifty-siX men attended the meet
ing at the Chamber of Commerce.
and Is signed the application cards.
while every man present tool, an APP
plication home with him. J. Fred
Christman. the presiding officer eX-
planned the movement 70 the men,
and Mai. Calvert delivered a brief
address.
Representative OF the nrst home
guard company in South Bend at
tended the meeting and explained 20
the leaders that they were willing 10
give up their organization and join
in the present movement. The old
company is made up OF practically
65 men. who have seen actual mill
tary service These men Will be used
as drillmasters under the direction