New Britain herald., 1917-04-12
COUNCIL LEGALIZES
 THE CITY GUARD
Members Can Be Sworn in As
 Special Police Deputies

At the special meeting of the com- mon council last evening an ordinance was passed giving the mayor authori- ty to swear in as special police depu- ties the members of the New Britain City Guard. The ordinance was not passed without opposition and sever- al members opposed it on the ground that it reflected unnecessarily on the loyalty of the citizens.
 Before the minutes of the previous meeting were approved Councilman o. F. Curtis questioned the validity of the councils last act in suspendinE the civil service rules so that, the super numerary police force may be in- creased to permit a larger number of men to become elegible for appoint ment as regulars. These rules, the councilman declared, are ordinances and cannot be suspended. The only way to get around them Is to repeal them. On his motion the minutes of the previous meeting were approved with this one exception.
 Andrews Favors Caution.
 City Clerk Thompson read the call for the special council meeting and also the report of the ordinance com mittee which provided for an amend ment allowing the appointment of an unlimited number of special police men and also legalizing the deputiz- ing of the City Guard. Councilman Joseph A. Andrews favored giving factories the right to appoint special policemen to guard their plants, but he recommended caution in giving the City Guard police authority as he thought such action would be an in- fringement on the national ruling governing guards. Alderman Paones- sa and Councilman McDonough fa- vored the passage of the ordinance and did not think there would be any infringement of the ruling concern ing guards.
 Agreeing to Councilman Curtis re- quest, Mayor Quigley took the floor to explain what he thinks to be the pressing need for such an ordinance. The mayor recalled the night of the big fires and explained that the police department was unable to cope with the situation and had not he been able have been impossible to call out the militia. If the National Guard should be out of town and the Home Guard away on duty the City Guard could be called out by the mayor in case of an emergency. The mayor explained that his present powers cease when he has called out the entire police depart ment for emergency.
 Opposition to City Guard.
 Councilman May, recently elevated to the rank of alderman, asked if there is real need for such nasty ac- tion, to which the mayor denied haste but said the move was only along lines of general preparedness. Coun- cilman May said he was opposed to creating trouble by anticipating it. This did not appeal to the mayor, who said he would much prefer to be prepared and on guard than to be caught mapping. Still the councilman alderman from the first ward was not satisfied and said he did not think it necessary to call a special meeting for such nasty action. Again the mayor objected to the term hasty action and declared that there was not a member of tho council who did not know such action was to be taken up.
 Councilman Andrews sought advice from higher military authorities and was informed that Adjutant General Cole had approved the order on the Springfield arsenal for rifles for the City Guard. Writing under the date of March 2s, letter from Governor Holcomb was read in which he stated he saw no reason why a municipality could not establish guard for it's own protection. The mayor, in con- clusion, said he could care for the protection of New Britain but he wants to protect the status of the members of the City Guard.
 Opinion that the citizens of New Britain are just as law abiding today as they were three years ago was ex- pressed by Councilman Curtis and he said he thought such unusual pre- paredness moves were a grave ref1ec- tion on the people. He said that with the police department, the Home Guard and the factory guards the city is protected by about 500 men and if these moves continue the city will be unable to furnish it's quota to the federal government. He also said that the Home Guard is opposed to the City Guard and he advocated the postponement of action until next Wednesday while the members have an opportunity to thoroughly investi- gate the matter.
 Measure Is Passed.
 The opposition to his plans aroused the ire of the mayor, who declared that he is not in the habit of going off ''half cocked' and as mayor of the city he is entrusted with the highest office here. He protested that he was not telling the council wild and exaggerated story, but he knew that there are men in the city who are making personal issue of the City Guard and the Home Guard. He called attention to the fact that at the City Guard meeting Sunday only six members favored joining the Home Guard. In conclusion the mayor denied being unduly suspicious of New Britain's residents and said none believe more fully in their loyalty than does he. He then