The Parker post., 1917-12-22
VIGILANCE CORPS
WANTED HERE
MOVEMENT FOR ORGANIZATION
OF PARKER CORPS-DEFENSE
SOCIETY SAYS IMMEDIATE AC-
TION rs NECESSARY.

The Post received request from
Richard M. Hurd, chairman Of the
board of trustees of the American
Defense Society, urging citizens here
/ to organize a local vigilance corps,
| for the purpose of aiding the govern
ment in putting an end to German
propaganda and enemy activity
(which has been responsible for fires,
ammunition plant explosions, sabot-
to damage the morale of the Ameri-
can people.
Recent events in this country
make it plain that the German
method of propaganda which has
been so effective in Russia and italy
is now being attempted in this Coun-
try with an alarming degree Of sue
cess" according to the appeal to
Americans now being issued by the
American Defense Society. Ger
man propaganda has long been sup
piled to our troops in the national
ecampments. The ship-building pro-
gram is being interfered With by
German-inspired strikes Germans
are directing the boarding OF food
supplies to an extent that panics
have already been prevalent in lead
ing cities. Newspapers are giving
daily reports of fires in ammunition
plants and grain depOts and the coun-
try, is now on the verge of an even
greater calamity in Ithe shape of a
railroad strike of unprecedented ex-
tent which threatens to cripple our
national industry"
The far-reaching needs Of the local
| Vigilance Corps can be readily seen
when it is known that in this coun-
try alone there are today several
| million alien enemies representing
Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey
and other countries sympathetic or
allied with the Prussian autocracy.
Almost Without exception these
enemies are free to go about as they
see fit, and while the government has
done much toward tightening the
| censorship of mails and cables, never
theless there are numberless channels
by which these enemies are in touch
with the directing genius of German
propaganda in Berlin.
If Americans mean to stand by the
men at the front, whose lives are al
ready being sacrificed, and to stand
by their government, the opportunity
| is offered. in the additional service
they can render to this work of the
American Defense Society.
The plan of organization under
taken by the Society and recommen-
ded to loyal Americans provides for
the enrolment of small American
Vigilance Corps in every city and
town which shall classify all resi-
dents under the following terms.
1. Loyal
2. Disloyal
g. Doubtful.
4. Unknown
Following the general classifica-
ton of the citizens the committee is
urged, to make further designation of
the following list:
1. Alien enemy.
2. Pro-German.
3. Anti-gOvernment.
In the letter of instructions to the
branch organizations the executive
committee of the American Defense
Society gives the following direc-
tions:
AT the earliest possible moment,
when you have made your classified
tion of alien enemies, pro-Germans,
and those opposed to the government
in thiswar, 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
are in your community. Do not let
this matter rest, however, with this
first classification of the enemies. Too
much stress cannot be put on the i'm
pOrtance of having your own vigil
ance corps take steps to watch
alien enemies, pro-Germans and those
opposed to the government. Only by
such cooperation 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 al
ready been made at Washington that
the government is about to register