Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1917-06-15
Major Seebach, from Public Safety
Commission, Confers with Local
Committee
SIMILAR TO OLD MILITIA
Serve Only Within State and Will
Be a Guarantee Against Dis
order

Major Oscar Seebach, member of the
Minnesota Public Safety Commission
to whom has been assigned the duty
of organizing the Minnesota Home
Guards, was in Morris on Tuesday
morning on a trip which he is max
ing to towns which have applied for
Home Guard companies. He met
with the committee from the Com
mercial Club which has had the mat
ter in charge and outlined the re-
quirements, purpose and manner OF
organization of the Home Guards,
and answered numerous questions
which the committee asked.
The Home Guard which will be
formed will be identical with the
old non-federalized militia. It Will
be liable to service only within
the state, and as now planned, only
in case of public disorder. 1t is not
expected that it will be necessary to
call upon companies for service out
side of their own locality on account
of the large number of companies
that are being formed all over the
state. Many have wondered whether
the Home Guards would be called
upon to perform the guard duty OF
bridges, mills, elevators, ETC., that
is now being done by the militia
but the Public Safety Commission
has settled this question by adopting
resolution that after the militia is
withdrawn from the state, the rail-
roads, mills, etc., must provide thelr
own guards. y
Since all these seem to be the on
ly necessary things TO be done Major
Setback was asked just what would
be the purpose or necessity of the
Home Guards. "Just insurance" re-
piled the major, ''in a short time
every soldier will be withdrawn from
this state, and the state would be
in such a defenseless condition as to
invite disorder. The Home Guards
are needed to insure security"
The Home Guards differ in only
one respect from the old non-fed-
era1ized militia, in that the officers
are appointed directly by the govern
or instead Of being elected by the sew
eral companies. This is in accord
ance with the new law. After con-
ferring with the committee, Major
Setback announced that he would
recommend Paul L. Spooner for cap
tain of the Morris company. In this
selection Mr.. Spooner himself had
no part, but the balance of the COM
mittee felt that they voiced the un-
animous opinion in assuring Major
Setback that Mr.. Spooner was the
logical man to undertake the task,
both on account of the interest which
he had taken in forming the COM
pany, and on account of the excep-
tionally high standing which he at
tained in the cadet company while at
the state university.
Mr.. Spooner will probably receive
his commission in few days, and
at that time regular enlistment
blanks will be sent out to be signed
by the members of the company.
When these are signed they will be
sent to the Public Safety Commission,
and Major Setback will then come
out and install the company, explain
their duties to the members and give
preliminary drill. At that time
also he expects to announce the ap-
pointment of the first and second
lieutenants.
The Public Safety Commission ex-
poets to furnish rifles and other or
dinance equipment, but each COM
pany will be expected to furnish it's
own uniforms. These can be pro-
cured at about ten or eleven dollars
each.
The minimum strength of a COM
pany is So and the maximum is 76,
and as over eighty have already
signed the preliminary list, it is ex-
pected that the Morris company will
be full from the start
Those eligible for service in the
Home Guard are able bodied men be-
tween the ages Of 81 and So years,
inclusive, and all able bodied men
under 81 years are eligible also in
cases where it is clearly shown that
they are exempt from service in
the Federal Army by reason Of de-
pendents and otherwise.