Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-07-24
INSPECTOR IN THE CITY CALL FOR HOME GUARD
Every City and Town in Virginia
Urged to Form Company-Appea
Sent Out by Defense Council.

. Richmond, Va, July 24.-Comply,
4 ing with the request OF Governor
Stuart, the Virginia Council of De.
tense is sending to every Sheriff in
the State, to the Mayor Of every
town and city and to the public gen
orally, through various channels. a
call asking that steps be taken i'm
mediately to form home guard com
panies.
The aim is to have such a COM
pany organized in every community
in Virginia to be ready to perform
\ defense work when the soldiers are
called away, and also to serve as
IAN ounce of prevention" Governor
Stuart has decided that the organiza-
ton of the home defense units shall
be conducted through the office OF
the Adjutant- General.
Membership in company will be
badge of honor" The service to
be performed, the Governor insists,
should be regarded as necessary and
as valuable as that of any branch
of the military establishment. 1t is
a second line of defense, an auXill-
arv to the regular forces and the
police. 1t is hoped by State officials
that the home guard organizations
will constitute restraining influence
on anv who may be inclined to law
lessness.
The State Councils call to the
people of Virginia is as follows:
"The Congress of the United States
recently enacted a law authorizing
the Secretary IF War during this ex-
isting emergency to issue equipment
to home guards, having the character
of state police or constabulary, as
NAV be organized by the several
states and territories and District OF
Columbia, and such other home
guards as may be organized under
the direction of the Governors.
"Cancerous conditions, resulting in
death or in the use of the surgeons
knife. may not infrequently be pre-
vented. The doctrine of preventive
medicine ounce of prevention IS
worth a pound of cure'-is as ap-
plicable to the body polite in emer-
oencv conditions as it is to the hui
man frame. Early in August the Ma
tional Guard of Virginia will cease
to exist as State organization; all
of its members will have been fed
eralized and concentrated in camps
in distant states. No agency will
then exist in the State nor in the
town or the county for emergency
conditions which, may arise.
During the period of:the war and
the necessary absence of our State
solaiery.Tthe Governor of the Com
monwealth is especially sollcltous
that E1awi and order shall be main
tanned; that any person or persons
who may be disposed to avail them
selves of the necessarily unsettled
conditions incident to state OF war
to enter into unlawful combinations
NAV have advance notice that agen-
cies exist in the State for their sup
preston. Therefore, by direct'oh d
his Excellency, the Governor of the
Commonwealth. the Council of De-
fense of the State makes this appear
to the thinking people of the various
communities.
."Of4ganize at once: in your city,
town or county a home guard. fhy-
,ical fitness for service should DE tne
oniv prerequisite for membership in
such an organization. The Mayors OF
cities and town and the sheSlfs OF
the various counties, as peace Officers
of the Commonwealth, will at once
apply to the Adjutant- General OF
Virginia for information and instruc.
tions as to procedure.
"By direction of the Counc'! OIL
Defense of Virginia: W. M. Hunley'
secretary; E. w. Nichols, chairman
; Alexandria was one of the first
cities in the county to take steps
for the organization of Home Guards
having a battalion of three companies
drilling regularly at the present writ
| inp