Connecticut western news., 1917-12-27
DEFENSE SOCIETY CALLS
 FOR VIGILANCE CORPS
Immediate Action Necessary Says De- fense Society to Aid Government m
 Detecting Spies.

A public request has been receive6 from hicbard Nj. Hurd, Chairman ox the Board Uf Trustees Of the AmericamF Defense Society, urging citizens here to organize local vigilance corps, for the purpose of aiding the Governments, in putting an end to German props. ganda and enemy activity which has been responsible for fires ammunitioa plant explosions, sabotage. food scares and other attempts to damage the morale of the Amer can people.
 Recent events in this country make it plain that the German method of propaganda which has been so effec. tive in Russia and Italy is now being attempted in this country with sRg alarming degree of success, sccori- ing to the appeal to Americans now being issued by the American Defense Society. "Gernan propaganda has long been supplied to our troops in the national encampments. The ship building LIogram is being interfereI with by German-inspired str kes Ger maus are directing the hoarding of food supplies to an extent that panics have already been prevalent in the leading cities. Newspapers are giN ing daIly reports of fires in ammunitiosb plants and grain depots and the country is now on the verge of an even greater calamity in she shape oc a railroad strike of unprecedented ex- tent which threatens to cripple ous national industry.
 The fer-reaching need of the locax Vigilance Corps can readily be seen when 1t is known that in this country alone there are today several million alien enemies representing Germany. Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey and otheR- countries sympathetic or allied with the Prussian autocracy Almost with out exception these enemies are free t@ go aboat as they see fit, and while th~ | Government has done much toward frightening the censorship of mails and ca oles nevertheless there are number less channels by which these enemies are fin tnurh with the directing geniuD of German propaganda in Berlin.
 If Amerlcans mean to stand by the men at the front, whose lives are already being saerifced aud to stand by their GovernInept, the opportunity is offered in the additional service they can give to this work of the Ameticas Defense Society.
 The plan of organizs tioxen dertaken by the Society and reccul xnded tD loyal Americans provides fdsthe en- rollment of a small Ameridxa Viga- lance. orps in every city and town which shall classify all residents under the following terms; l. Loyal.
 2. Disloyal.
 8. Doubtful. ...
 4. Unknown. - Following the general classi1catiuw of citizens the Committee is urged D make further designation of the follow ing liss:
 l. Alien enemy.
 3. Pro- German. } Anti. Government.
 } In the letter of instructions tp branch organizations the Executive ) Committee of the American Defepsw } Society gives the following directionss At Ihe earliest possible moment
 when you have made your classihca- tion of alien enemies, pro- Germans. and those opposed to the Government in this war, send this list to the Police Department, the local representative of the Department of Justice and to whatever representatives of the army or navy intelligence bureaus there arA in your community. Do not let tlrfR matter rest, however, with this first class fcation of the enemies. Toe much stress cannot be put on the insy portapce of having your own VigilanaB Corps take steps to watch alien ener mics, pro-Germans and those opposea' to the Government. Only by such co- operation will you be able to give effective aid to the Government. Take every means you can to let the people of your city know the names of our enemies. - | "Unofficial announcement has sI- ready been made at Washington thss the Government is about to register the alien enemies In America. Your committee already having acted aloHKi such lines, will naturally be in a,poss- tion greatly to aid the Governmems Census when such census is tskeR- No doubt many attempts will be made to evsde the official Government CeH- sus and information on the enemies fsA your community will therefore be ok greatest value.
 "You are enjoined to watch tfp@ speech, ssociations and activities Cx every man whom vou may suspect ox disloyalty and to send in the immss diate report. For further informatium and instructions regarding the wofk ox the Vigilsnce Corps of the Amerfcan Defense saoiety address Natiousi HcsA- quarters, A East 23rd Street, New