Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-03-22
STATE WAR
CENSUS IS HELD
People Of Connecticut Take Up
the Work With Great En-
thusiasm.
HER SONS QUICKLY RESPOND
From All Parts Of Country conneeti'
cut Men Sign Upstate Leads In
Production Of Munitions and
In Preparedness.

NIiddletown, Conn.-The people of
the first state in the coun-
try to undertake a military census of
men and munitions available In case
of war, showed such enthusiasm in the
work that the fondest hopes Of Gov.
Marcus H. Holcomb, originator OF the
plan, have been far surpassed.
Early in February the governor sum-
moned the mayors and first selectmen
of every city, town and village in the
state to a conference in Hartford and
a plan was outlined which resulted IN
the speedy execution Of the governors
plan for a military census. I
ENROLMENT blanks were rushed
through the state printing plant n
within 4S hours the governor had ap-
pointed men in each community to act
as census officers. Il
A week later everything was In
working order and the census was well
under way. Old men, m~iddle-aged men
and even boys came forward ana
signed the blanks without waiting for
the census takers to look them up In
their homes. In some Of the outlying
communities the census officers made
the, rounds of the isolated farmhouses
in automobiles, signing up every avail
able male.
As fast as the. blanks were signed
they were rushed to Hartford, where
a corps of trained insurance auditors,
with recording machines, tabulated
and distributed them under the proper
headings meanwhile keeping accurate
account of the number received. In
this way as fast as the blanks came
in the count was kept up to the min
ute.
The system was installed and
worked out within "a hours after the
governors call by a well-known Hart
ford insurance actuary, who took com.
plete charge Of the execution OF the
work.
conneetleuts Sons Respond.
From all parts Of the country Con-
necticut's SOM have either returned
or sent for enrolment blanks. Men
who have not been in their native
towns for years except for the holi-
days have of their W voliton re-
turned and. signed up. Each seems
anxious to do his bit in some way.
The scope of the work to be a c
complished has been considerably Wild
er than was at first intended and the
blanks have been broadened to take In
any qualification which the applicant
may have which would be valuable In
case of war.
If a man has any serious disabil-
ity he will not be taken for actual
field duty, but if.he has certain quail
ifcations which do not conflict with
his disability, he will be assigned to
a post where he can best be used.
Factories are quickly being surveyed
for war. Machinery placed In reserve
is being set up. Plans for quick build
ing of additions to warehouses and
docks are ready to be carried out a,
a moments notice.
Railroad bridges in Connecticut or
the through line from Boston to New
York are heavily guarded by militia
men. All big railroad shipping points
are swarming with augmented forces
of railroad detectives and armed
guards. The strategic value Of thu
railroad route from New o
through Bridgeport, New Haven, Mid
dletown and Willimantic is obvious
The entire line is under constant sur
yeillance and extra rolling stock Is be
ing assembled in the yards at Nev
Haven. to be used when needed.
: The huge munition plants o
Bridgeport, New Haven and Water
bury are, US in the past, under heav'
guard.
Connecticut considers herself the NJ
senal of the nation and 1t is fully aliv
t to its responsibilities. Bridgeport, 70
instance, produces cartridges, fuses
shell cases, artillery, rifles and man
: tools necessary to the manufacture Q
e munitions of all kinds.
] Leads In Munitions.
: New Haven turns out practically tn
: same line of goods as Bridgeport
Hartford is the home Of factorie
:, which turn out automatic revolver
: = machine guns. rapid fire guns. gur
. making machinery, and the city ais
: houses the state arsenal.
. New Britain turns out all sorts
machinery, shell cases, fuse cases, sac
: dlery, ETC., while in Middletown a grea
= plant is running day and night maxim
, cartridge belts, holsters and unifor1
!, cloth for the United States army e.
4 clusively.
Al In the little town Of Rockfall II
= wooden mills there are preparing I
enlarge their facilities for maxim
blankets.
Yachtsmen throughout the state al
# getting their craft In shape to be use
d "a patrol boats and submarine chaser
II Connecticut has led the country DO,
l. in production Of munitions and pr
~paredness Of. a practical kind and Il
.e outcome Of the census is watched vii
IL great interest by official Washingtt
and the rest Of the nation.