New Britain herald., 1917-03-24
MAYOR DEFINES NEW | MILITARY COMPANY
City Guardsmen Will Meet at Ar1lofy Tomorrow

|acra military emergency board head |quarters last night indicated dis. approval of the organizing and arm ing of such organizations as the New Britain City Guard. That the dis approval was aimed directly at New Britain and Waterbury. whore such guard units have been organised, there is not much doubt in tho minds of local officials for the complaint specifically stated two cities," and such would apply to. the two named.
 Mayor c. A. Quigley. when ques- tioned concerning this disapproval this morning. disclaimed any intention to embarrass the state in recruitiug the National Guard or Home Guard. 'As mayor of tho city I certainly dos not want to do A single thing that win conflict with the Home Guard, and I don't think we have" he satd. ''Thp New Britain Rife club was crsani1eed months before the Home Guard was ever thought of and I. as mayor. was authorized by the common council to
 
 ary meeting, previous to the time the governor issued his Home Guard call.'
 The Objection.
 Following Is the situation as viewed in the Home Guard headquarters statement: |
 From two cities como the reports of the formation of semi-private or Ganixations that are arming for special duty. They plan to be in readiness to be sworn as constablea or special police in case of local trouble. the men to be armed with revolvers. The ordinary status of such bodies h in considerable doubt. Of course they would not come under the description of legal defenders 90 provided in in- ternational law.
 The reason given for such or gauixation is that the promoters de- sire to make sure that their town and factiries' shall not be robbed or de- fense in case of an emergency which might call the Home Guards outflt to another town. In other words, they adopt for their individual town the very principle which the governor and the legislature adopted for the state relative to the National Guard.
 At Home Guard headquarters, to- day, 1t was said that this reveals a serious nisapprehension of the plan for the guard. Headquarters has constantly in mind possible tricks by q very clever foe. One such trick would be to start trouble by fire. ex- piosion of disorder in one community in order to draw. away troops from another community and then bring disaster on the unprotected conn., munity. It h clear, then. that there would be little sending of troops from their homo town unless tho emergency called for everything and everybody.
 "Of course a "home town" iS best protected by contingent of the guard. properly officered, uniformed. drilled and armed and under the di- rect orders of the governor and his of1cers. Extra aid by the private body is all right, but no town can be provided for as 1t should be by that alone. Headquarters believe that that must be obvious to any one who gives thought to possibilities.
 Ride Club Organized Last Fall.
 It was last September or October that the New Britain Rifle club was ASOsN&VASotA ciation. Members enrolled at that time and have been enrolling up to date. At the meeting of the common council in February Mayor Quigley ad- dressed the members. explaining the need of additional deputies in case of trouble. He then asked for permis- sion to purchase 15O deputy police badges and 1t was accorded him with out single dissenting vote. These badges are being made now by the Traut & Hine Manufacturing company. All this preliminary action took place before the Home Guard move was started and the plans for the military company were formulated at the same time. Tho mayor stated this morn ing that possibly the term military as applied to the Rifle club company. insofar as it Is officially connected with the city, is a nisnomer. It will not be a military company in the sense pf being an armed force to repel a Ia- tional enemy. It will be strictly an auxiliary police force to protect the city alone. It would be called into service only in case the police de- -oSkvnAr< %1ao r,1nernIiY,HA AyarieS md