Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-10-05
WILL DRAFT MEN
FOR STATE GUARD.
GOVERNOR BECKETT CALSS FOR
5000 MEN IN THIS STATE BE.
TWEEN AGES OF 81 AND as.
DISPATCHES FROM RALEIGH
Dolnes and Happenings That Mark
the Progress Of North Carolina Peo'
pie, Gathered Around the State
Capital.
Raleigh.

Raleigh
In a proclamation Governor Beckett
inyokes the active service OF the "un.
organized militia" as constituted by
an act of the last general assembly,
ratified March and consisting OF all
male citizens of the state between the
ages OF Is and 40, the call including
those 81 to 49,
The governor proposes to draft D..
600 men from this unorganized mill.
tia with not less than % men to any
county and bigger companies for the
larger counties The regulations for
the selective draft are to be imme
diately framed and the draft accom-.
pllshed with the least possible delay
in all the counties. Conditions nov
prevailing In the state the governor
declares. make this move necessary
at this time. The plan is one that
was worked out by direction OF the
governor some DAYS ago and approved
by the state council OF defense
Among the conditions that are speed
ing up the formation OF the militia
companies are the crimes committed
the past few days in Wake. Vance,
Harnett and Durham counties. all OF
which stirred hundreds of people TO
mob violence.
The states prison here Is the
place of safety" to which criminals
ere brought to keep mobs from them
and a particularly large special mill
tary force Is contemplated for Ka'.cn
and Wake on that account. to deter
combinations Of mob movements from
different counties 10 force even the
states prison under some circum-
stances.
Already there is formed formii
able special company OF selected citi /
zenry here for service Of this sort to .
be ready for any emergency, The or.
ganizatiOn was perfected tonight in
the state house with Adjutant Gen
eral Lawrence w. Young and Mai W.
F. Moody directing the movement.
The men were called to the service
through special letters and telephones
the past few hours and they are nm.
derstood 10 he ready for any emer
gency
The proclamation Of Governor
Beckett follows
Whereas it has been made TO APP.
pear to me that conditions now pre-.
vail within the state calling for the
use and service OF an effective force /
for the maintenance OF peace and o.
der: Il
Whereas by an act by the last
general assembly entitled An act 10
revise the military laws Of the state
and increase the efficiency of the
militia. ratified March g. 1917. all
able bodied male citizens of the state
and all able bodied male residents t
therein, who have signifed their pup
pose to become citizens. between the !
ages OF is and As. unless excepted
by special law or constituted and de t
clared to he the unorganized militia I
OF the state and made subject to the {
call of the governor for the purpose
indicated;
Now. therefore, I. Thomas W
Beckett. governor. by virtue OF author I,
ity vested in me by the general laws
and more especially by the provisions ,
NJ said act do make this my procla
nation and call into the active service i,
of the state the said unorganized mi +,
ltia as described and designated In ,
said act between the ages OF 81 anil ,
As to the number OF 5000, not less
than Is in any one county and the re
mainder to be apportioned to the larg- =,
er counties as the governor may des- .
ignate, to be selected by draft and
forthwith organized and equipped as :
provided by said statute and the regu-
lations to be Immediately framed and ;
published, 4