Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-24
COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
FAV0Rs HOME GUARDS
Calls for Organization of Companies
in Every Community in
State.
MUST PRESERVE PUBLIC ORDER
Membership In Companies to Be Re.
garded as Badge of Honor" Says
Governor Stuart-WiIl Be Branch
OF Military Establishment.

In compliance with the request OF
| Governor Henry C. Stuart, the Vir-
| Ginia Council of Defense sent out yes
terday to every sheriff in the State. to
the Mayor of every city and town and
! to the public generally through va
| rious channels call asking that steps
| be taken at once for the organizatio
| of home guard companies. 1t is the
intention of the Governor and Of the
! council to have such a company or
ganized in every community in the
State, to be ready to perform defense
work when the soldiers are called into
Federal service. and to also serve as
| IAN ounce of prevention"
Governor Stuart announced yesterday
| that the organization of these home
defense units shall be conducted
! through the Office of Adjutant- Ge ncral
| w. w. Sale, and arrangements are now
being perfected to handle all details
! of this work.
Membership in company will be in
| fact badge of honor" The service
| to be performed, the Governor insists
| is, and should he SO regarded as nee
! essary and as valuable as that of any
| branch of the military establishment.
| 1t Is of the nature of n second line of
defense auxiliary to the regular forces
| and the police. Il is hoped that the
| home guard organizations will consti-
| tute restraining influence on any peo-
| pie who may be inclined to lawIess-
| ness. 1t must be efficiently and ade-
quately prepared. however, for actual
service in the suppression of lawless-
ness should there be need.
MUST PREVENT ALL
PUBLIC DISORDER
The State councils call to the people
OF Virginia is as follows:
To the People of the Cities, Towns and
Counties of Virgnia:
T1n ~F
has recently enacted the following law:
BE 1t enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
| States OF America. in Congress assem-
| bled. That the Secretary of War dur
| Ing this existing emergency be, and he
/ is hereby, authorized. in his discretion
| to issue from time to time to the sew
| eral States and Territories and Dis
| trict of Columbia, for the equipment OF
| such home guards having the character
| OF State police or consta bulary as may
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 OF the several States and
| Territories and the Commissioners OF
| tho District of Columbia or other State
troops or militia such rifles and am
munition therefor. cartridge belts
| haversackS. canteens, in limited
| amounts as available supplies will Eer-
| nit"
Canccrous conditions resulting in
death or in the use Of the surgeons
knife. may not infreQuently be- pre-
vented. The doctrine of preventive
| medicinc-"an ounce OF prevention is
worth pound of cure"-is as appli-
cable to the body polite in emergency
conditions as it Is to the human frame
Early In the coming month-August
the National Guard Of Virginia will
| cease to exist as a State organization
all of it's members will have been
federalized and concentrated in camps
| in distant States. No agency will then
or the county. for emergency condi-
lions, conditions which may arise
which. perhaps. will arise.
During the period of the war and
| the necessary absence OF our State
| soldiery. the Governor Of the Common
| wealth is especially solicitous that
| law and order shall be maintained; that
any person. or persons, who may be
disposed to avail themselves Of the
| necessarily unsettled conditions Incl
| dent to a state Of war to enter into
unlawful combinations. may have ad-
vance notice that agencies exist in
the State for their suppression.
Therefore, by direction of his Elk
! cellency. the Governor of the Common
wealth. the Council of Defense of the
State makes this appeal to the think
ing people Of the various communities:
Organize at once in your city. town
or county n Home Guard. Physical
fitness for service should be the only
prerequisite for membership in such
an organization. The Mayors of cities
and towns and the sheriffs of the
various counties, as peace officers Of
the Commonwealth. will at once apply
to the Acknowledgement OF Virginia for
information and instructions as to pro-
cedure.
BY direction OF the Council of De-
Tense Of Virginia.
L. w. NICHOLS. Chairman