The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-29
AUTOS HERE TO
BE UT|LIz zED IN
STATE SERVICE
-
Motorists Pledge Cars to
Home Guard and Nation
In Time of War.
OWNERS DESIGNATE
EMERGENCY DRIVER
Twenty-S Six Hundred Pas
senger Machines in Bridge
port, List Shows.

Enlistment has begun in the Con-
necticut Home Guard Motor, Vehicle
Volunteer corps in Bridgeport. The
mailing OF 1900 blanks to owuers OF
passenger carrying automobiles began
today under direction of committee
of the Bridgeport Automobile club
composed of F. A. Strong, chairman; !;
F. D. Baker and Louis Kutscher, Jr.
The blanks are enclosed in a large
envelope and bear a stamped envelope
addressed to Frank T. Staples, presi-
dnt OF the club, for Immediate reply.
1t is expected that large number of
the completed blanks will be returned
by Monday noon.
The blank asks the owner to volun-
teer as a member of the vehicle SER
vice of the Connecticut Home Guard,
to serve within the state when called
upon by the proper authorities. Blanks
are left for the owner to declare his
preference in these divisions: Transport
criver, staff car driver, carrier, truck
driver, motorcycle scout, ambulance
driver and motorcycle despatch.
The blank, which is broad enough
in its scope, to be used later by mo-
torcycle and truck owners, as well as
drivers who do not own car and
physicians who may or may not own
an automobile, are at present only be-
ing sent to the known passenger
carrying car owners.
President Staples this morning ask
ed that owners of automobiles who
were incapacitated from driving their
own cars indicate such fact and state
whether they would permit any other
service In the event that chauffeurs
at present employed by car owners
were willing to volunteer, special ref
erence may be made on the blank
that the automobile will be offered
to the state provided a specified indi-
vidual would drive it. The chauf-
feur's application blank may be at
tached to that of the owner in such a
return.
It is the belief Of the Bridgeport
Automobile clubs officers that nearly
every car owner in this city will place
the machines at the disposal of the
state.
Work on a complete state census
of motor vehicles which may be used
by the state or federal government
in any emergency which may arise as
the result of war was begun yesterday
in the office of the secretary of state.
Every member of the staff of Secre-
tary Frederick L. Perry who could
operate a typewriter was employed
last night in preparing list Of own
ers of motor vehicles of every de-
scription, to whom will be sent pre-
pared cards to be filed out accord
ing to government requirements. Sec
retary Perry said an effort would be
made by his staff to complete the
work on the cards in four nights.
Cards will be sent to every owner
of a motor vehicle who has registered
since Jan. l. Abut 35, 600 have regis
tered to date and additional cards will
be sent to others who register while
the work is in progress. The work
is along the line Of the system of
practical preparedness inaugurated
by Governor Holcornp and is being
out on the governors instruc-
tions.
The census will cover every motor
driven vehicle, from pleasure cars
and trucks to motorcycles. When
he census is complete and the files
turned over to the governor, the
state will have list of motor veh1- |
c1es which, in some cases, may be
Used on a notice of two hours by the
government for purposes Of trans T,
oortation in and out Of Connecticut. /!
This feature of Connecticuts pre-
oaredness work has been undertaken
oy the state secretary after consulta |
ion with members of the special
committee of assistants to the gov
,rnor for the military census.
"a card and a self-addressed |
CONTINUED on Page Two.)