Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-09-04
FOR ORGANIZATION
OF HOME GUARD HERE
Initial Steps Taken at Meeting Last
Night
NAME COMMITTEES OF FIVE
And in Meantime, Lists Of Prospective
Members Will be Prepared
for Consideration.

There was representative gather
ing of men of Annapolis between the
ages of is and 45 in the City Assem-
bly, Hall last night, when the initial
steps looking to the organization of
Home Guard for the city were taken.
The organization of such a military
body of men is TO be effected in order
to take the places of the two units
of the Maryland National Guard now
part of the Regular United States
Army, and which will leave town
within the next few days to go into
training at Admission. Ala. After con-
siderable discussion of the project, a
committee of five was appointed to
handle the matter.
An element of dissent was injected
into the proceedings of the meeting
through the statements of Major
James F. Strange. who is inclined to
doubt the expediency of the organi-
zation of a Home Guard
Major John dep Douw, of the
Maryland National Guard. explained
in detail, the purposes of a Home
Guard, and the duties that would be
required of its members
Mayor Strange, while solemnly
warning the assemblage that there
have been during the past few weeks
serious times in Annapolis. through
an undercurrent of race feeling, of
which he knew more than any other
man in the city" opposed any organi-
zation which would make probable
taking out of the town. even tempor-
arily. more men than the National
Guard is already withdrawing This
followed Major Douw's explanation
that while the men of the Home Guard
cannot be ordered out of the State,
each unit will be subject to call to go
to other towns in Maryland where
there might be trouble
1t was pointed out to him that the
organization will be reciprocal, and
while Annapolis might be called upon
to help quell a riot in Cumberland
the-plan would work both ways, and
Cumberland's guard would be subject
to call to help things out in this town
! if the emergency should arise.
In reply to question, Major Douw
pointed out that while the regiment OF
Midshipmen was a well trained and
drilled body of men, numbering sew
eral hundred. they could not be or
dered out in hurry, and would only
become available after much valuable
time had been lost in appealing to the
| President Whether the federal Off
GERS would be willing to help Anna
polls cut of riot if Annapolis had not
first taken steps to protect itself, is
regarded by Major Douw to be rather
doubtful.
The meeting finally accomplished
the organization of committee oi
five, consisting of Mayor Strange
| City Clerk Phil E. Porter, Joseph M
| Armstrong, Postmaster t. ]. Linthi-
| cum and Vice President John B
Rippiere, of st. Johns College.
| Mr. Rippiere, meeting the objection
| of Mayor Strange to having an An
| napolis unit formed which might bt
| called away from its home city tC
help a sister municipality, pointed
| out that for most of each year th'
cadet corps of st. Johns College
would be available in an emergency
| to take the place of the home guards
1t is requested that all of the mel
TO whom has been charged the worl
of securing list of prospective mem
! bers of the Home Guard. will hand il
their lists to Captain Philip e. Por
| ter, at his Office on Monday night
The committee, as named above, viii
hold meeting next Tuesday night t
further shape up plans for the Guard
a