Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-12-19
DEFENSE SOCIETY
 CALLS FOR LOCAL VIGILANCE CORPS

Immediate Action NeceS-
 sary, Says Their Appeal, Made Public by Mayor. Mayor Simon Bloom yesterday made public request received from Rich ard M Hurd, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Defense Society, urging citizens here to or ganize a local vigilance corps, for the purpose of aiding the government in putting an end to German propa- ganda and enemy activity which has been responsible for fires, ammuni- tion plant explosions, sabotage, food scares and other attempts to damage the morale of the American people.
 Recent events in this country make it plain that the German method of propa gandn. which has been so effec- tive in Russia and Italy is now being attempted in this country with an alarming degree of success" accord ing to the appeal to Americans now being issued by the American Defense Society. German propaganda has long been supplied to our troops in the national encampments. The ship building program is being interfered with by German-inspired strikes. Ger mans are directing the hoarding of food supplies to an extent that panics have already been prevalent in the leading cities. Newspapers are giv- ing daily reports of fires in ammuni- tion plants and grain depots and the country is now on the verge of an even greater calamity in the shape of a railroad strike of unprecedented extent which threatens to cripple our national industry"
 The far-reaching need of the local Vigilance Corps can readily be seen when it is known that in this country alone there are today several million alien enemies representing Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey and other countries sympathetic or allied with the Prussian autocracy. Almost with out exception these enemies are free to go about as they see fit, and while the government has done much toward tightening the censorship of mails and cables, nevertheless there are num- berless channels by which these en- emies are in touch with the directing genius of German propaganda in Ber- lin.
 If Americans mean to stand by the men at the front, whose lives are al- ready being sacrificed, and to stand by their government, the opportunity is offered in the additional service they can give to this work of the American Defense Society.
 Organization Plan.
 The plan of organization undertaken by the society and recommended to loyal Americans provides for the en- rollment of a small American Wig ilance Corps in every city and town which shall classify all residents un- der the following terms:
 i. Loyal.
 2. Disloyal.
 3. Doubtful.
 4. Unknown.
 of citizens the committee is urged to make further designation of the fol- lowing list:
 1. Alien enemy.
 2. Pro-German.
 o. disagreement.
 In the letter of instructions to branch organizations the executive committee of the American Defense Society gives the following directions: :
 "At the earliest possible moment, when you have made your classifica- tion of alien enemies, pro-Germans and those opposed to the government in this war, send this list to the Police Department. the local representative of the Department of Justice and to whatever representatives of the army or navy intelligence bureaus there are in your community. Do not let this matter rest, however, with this first classification of the enemies. Too much stress cannot be put on the inn portance of having your own Vigilance Corps take steps to watch alien en- l emies, prO-Germans and those opposed | to the government. Only by such CO | operation will you be able to give ef- fective aid to the government. Take 1 every means you can to let the people 1 of your city know the names of our l enemies.
 Unofficial announcement has al ready been made at Washington that the government is about to register the alien enemies in America. Your committee already having acted along l such lines, will naturally be in posi- ton greatly to aid the government census when such census is taken No doubt many attempts will be made
 to evade tho official government cen. sus and information on the enemies in your community will therefore be o1 l greatest value.
 "you are enjoined to watch the ] speech, Associations and activities O1 every man whom you may suspect of
 dislOyalty and to send in the imme- diate report. For further information and instructions regarding the work of the Vigilance Corps of the American
 Defense Society address national head
 quarters, A East 23rd street, New
 York city.
 JAMES M'GAUGHY WINS 1 RHODES SCHOLARSHIP