Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-03-28
Temporary Headquarters OF
Guard Bristle With Activity
as Young 0mahans Show
Eagerness to Enlist,
NO DETECTIVES ARE TAKEN
Officers Motor Cars Are Used
to Convey Applicants to
Downtown Station.
PATRIOTISM RUNS HIGH

National Guard recrui, ns opened
with vim Tuesday morning in tenn.
porary headquarters in the First Ma
tional bank building, Sixteenth and
Farnam streets.
Up till noon a total os thirty -one
new guardsmen had been formally cx-
amined and accepted for enlistment,
out of larger numl r who 4ppled.
Lieutenant Colonel ElSasser and Ma
jor Todd declared the recruits had
only begun TO come in. They said
they expected to secure the desired
total for the Omaha battalion very
rapidly. as soon as all youni, Oma-
hans were informed OF the oppor-
tunity now afforded to enlist in the
guard.
Rich and Pear Are Equals.
Young and old. rich and poor,
workers and idle alike, were among
the applicants for guard enlistment.
Bugle calls, sou..ded frequently in the
busiest street intersection the city,
as well as flag and gun decorations
of the new recruiting headquarters
and the appearance of many soldierly
and uniformed officers and guards
men gave the headquarters a warlike
appearance and attracted many pros
pective recruits, as vel as curious
attention from passersby
Before the Office had been open
long the recruiting sergeants were
busy talking with applicants and
signing up volunteers. Autos owned
by Captain c. w. Hamilton. jr., Cap
tain T. L. kershener and other Off
GERS were kept busy bringing in ap-
plicants, whom the guardsmen had
secured in all parts of the city.
Thrills Act as Stimulus.
Increased rumors that the local
guard might soon be called upon for
duty outside OF Omaha, and even be-
yond the state borders, gave great
stimulus to the recruiting.
Orders prevent us from disclosing
any such plans or probabilities" ex-
planned Major Todd, but we would
not be surprised to get orders to en-
train or march soon for active duty
elsewhere. The fellows who now get
into the guard will be on the ground
floor for service. in case of need"
Rev. T. J. Mackay, rector of All
Saints church and vcteral OF the
civil war, applied at the guard head
quarters and offered his services in
any possible way he could b used.
He said he had just heard from one
of his sons, who talked Of joining a
organization.
James L. Love, 20, Of Woodbine,
Ia, was another of the older men who
applied TO help in any possible way.
He is visiting relatives here at III
North Twenty-ninth street.
A. J. P. Bertschy of the Bertschy
Garage company volunteered to help
the guard officers and donated a $40
check to their incidental expense fund
by way Of showing his patriotic spirit.
Ralph E. Madsen of Creighton, Ne
braska's tallest citizen, ducked
through the door with his seven feet
two inches of height and applied to
enlist but was turned down on ac-
count of physical and eyesight re-
quirements.
MCGOWAN First "Rook."
Louis MCGOWAN, p, a flag and
bunting decorator, who lives at the
Flomar hotel and has done Ak-Sar-
Ben decorating work, was the first re-
cruit enlisted Tuesday morning. The
second was Anthony Burns, IS, a res
taurant cook, who lives at Eighteenth
street and St. Mary's avenue. Both
said they wanted excitement and pa
triotic activity and simply could not
resist the nations appeal to loyal
Americans. They entered Com
oany A.
Dan Pugh, formerly mess sergeant
of Company B, who recently finished
guard enlistment period, volunteered
or re-enlistment when he heard that
lis old guard regiment had been called
pack into federal service. He secured
uniform at once and began hustlng
or other recruits.
Lieutenant L. /. Wilbur Of Com
,any A went to Lincoln with twenty
picked guardsmen from various COM
'anies OF the Omaha battalion in re-
'ponse TO orders from Colonel w. Z. |
3achr, now in Lincoln. to organize
md equip his regiment for active
luty. The detachment will help him
here for a few days.
Company B of the Fourth Ne
,raska National Guard Monday even
ng elected Upper Wyman first lieu
enant to fill vacancy. Attorney
'ames Connolly was elected second |
lieutenant. Both elections were unani-
nous.