The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-21
THE YOUNG MEN OF CONNECTICUT
 MUSI FILL UP THE FRONT RANKS AND CARRY MUSKETS SAYS HOLCOMB
Won't Have Any Trouble Q Fill Places in Munitions Factories Governor Tells State Council of Defense At Recruiting Conference

.sefA must make the young
 men of Connecticut realize they {, must fill up the front ranks and ' carry muskels. We wont have
 any trouble to fill the places in
 munitions factories. can only , say wish I was young enough s to get into the first rank."---
 Statement of Governor Marcus
 H. Holcomb at Connecticut State Council of Defense Meeting to
 decide on plans for recruiting.
 Plans for recruiting the Connecti- cut National Guard to full war strength, task calling for the enlist ment of about 1900 men. were dis cussed this afternoon in the old Sem ate Chamber at the State Capitol when a meeting called by the Con- necticut State Council of Defense was held and was attended by about fifty prominent men from all parts of the state. Those present included Gov ernor Marcus H. Holeomb, members of the military and naval affairs and publicity committees of the state council of defense, cl1airmen and members of the county auxiliary com nittees, military officers, members of the military emergency board and others.
 T. A Scott. chairman of the New London County committee, presided. Secretary Thomas Hewes of the coun- Gil outlined the purpose of the meet ing, reading letters urging work for eniistments in the regular army and letter from Adjutnnt General George N. Ople pointing out the need Of recruiting 1900 men for the Con- necticut National Guard.
 is. Governor Holcomb told of the needs of the regiments, and said the present condition was mot very credible one for Connecticut to be An." suoh condition did not exist in the Revolution, he said, when with a population Of 200, 1000 the state fur nishsd 25sooo troops. If w,s furnish aed men in that proportion now, we would send 176,0oo men," he said. Connecticut's young men must req 31ize that they must fill up the ranks, only say wish I was young enough to get into the first rank" said the isovernor. "Somebody must fill the first rank and carry a musket. If we can only get the young men to fill the first rank and carry muskets. we won't have any trouble to fill the places in the munitions factories The thing to do is to get the young men to enlist and do their fpart.
 Major w A. Mercer. U. s. A, re- tired army recruiting officer for Con snecticut told of the methods of pub 1icity used to get regular army re- cruits, billboards, posters. circulars, Slides in moving picture theatres and other methods. He said the post masters had aided in recruiting and
 
 public places had brought good re- sults He belisved that the town clerks could assist The enlisted re serve organizations, he said, prove attractive to young men. The ambu- lance and aviation sections have met large response. When the reserve corps Is filled up, in his opinion, it !. will be easier to get men for the regu- lar army. He said that the regular army now needs about 65,00o men and that Connecticut's quota of this is about 1,282-
 AdJutant General George M. Cole said that the question which presents ltse1f to him is the Important one for Connecticut is that one regiment is over 800 men short and unless some thing is done 1t will have to be draft ed into federal service much depleted or else there will be 6 draft to fil the ranks The Second Regiment ii making splendid progress and is only about 250 short of it's full comple. ment of 2,002 men.
 we must get those 800 men fol the First Regiment before July 25 We cannot send the selected army foi nine or ten months and these nation al guard troops and the regular arm, must go over and hold the fort unti the new army can get over. sait General Cole. He said he had com, to the council to assist in building III the national guard.
 ssTt would be to our everlasting dis credit if this First Regiment went in to the federal service 800 short" h. said.
 Colonel Richard J. Goodman, com nander of the First Regiment. sai, he believed the difficulty in recruit ing was partly due to the troops be ing spread in small detachments owe a great area doing guard duty. It ha been difficult to get sufficiently ,larg recruiting details without taking me- off the guard duty.
 Colonel Goodman said that tn regiment had 900 men when calle into service. The discharge of abou 300 had been required. The regimen now has 1,150 men. Company F Q K New Britain is now forty-four me Y short. Company l. of Willimantic i ninety-five men short, other compan ies are short varying numbers be tween these two figures.
 Colonel Goodman said he has call ed upon mayors of cities and frs selectrnen of towns where First Regi ment units are located to name ci vilian committees to aid in recruit ing work. A similar plan, he fel might be used throughout the stat for both the national guard and regu lar army.
 AdJutant General Cole pointed ou that there is a large field for re cruiting in war time not open i peace time. All enlistments no, made are for the period of the wa only, he said, and not for period c years.
 The chairman then made a cali fo suggestions. John H. Goss of watef bury said he felt that the reaso young men don't come forward in tn type of duty they are called upon t perform at this time. The reason tn Second Regiment had filled up mor rapidly, he thought, was because th feeling had gone out that it woul be one of the first to go to the iron These are red-blooded young men, he said, land they are looking fc action, not inaction."
 George B. Chandler, chairman (