The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-18
PREPARE TO CALL HOME GUARD FOR FACTORY PATROL Indications Point to Need for Services of Organi-
 zation Very Soon QUARTERMASTER HAS EQUIPMENT IN SHAPE Company I Members Given
 Instructions In Duties
 / of Sentries

Concensus of reports throughoud Connecticut today indicate clearly thai action regarding the calling out of the Home Guard for at least temporary 1uty about. the factories of Bridgeport s strongly considered by the Military board at this time.
 A despatch from Meriden states:
 Reports from the office of Gen eral Clarence R. Edwards, com manding the department of the
 northeast, at New York, indicate
 that Companies I and l., com
 prising the Meriden contingent of
 the Connecticut National Guard,
 will leave shortly for the south.
 there to be under orders of Major
 General Leonard Wood. These
 companies will leave, it was said,
 as soon as they can be relieved
 from police duty. The Merilden
 troops are guarding munitions
 plants.
 = There Is talk Of relieving the
 militia of guard duty with mem
 bers of the home guard of each
 city In this case, it is pointed
 out, the men will receive a, com
 pensation equal to that accorded
 to national guardsmen. Guards
 men here have expected some such
 change within a short time."
 From Hartford:
 ''The matter of accepting further
 units for the active organization of
 the Connecticut Home Guard was
 discussed by the heads of the six
 different districts into which the
 state has been divided by the mill
 itary emergency board, who con-
 ferred with the board in the office
 of Adjutant General George M.
 Cole, at the state armory, Weldnes-
 day afternoon. The officials from
 various parts of the state were in-
 structed by the board to collect all
 available information concerning
 companies organized but not yet
 accepted for the active list.''
 It was learned from autforitativ sources today that the Quartermas ter's department of the Fourth Regi mont, Home Guard, stationed a Bridgeport has received orders t provide at once, a sufficient numbe of blankets and overcoats for at leas two companies, and also to have pre- pared a eommissary department anl supplies for weeks rationing at in stant call. These details are now be ing arranged by Captain J. A. H. Rob inson.
 Company I, Home Guard, whe drilled at the High school armory las night was called to attention by Gap Robert Flames who informed tn guard that it was necessary to lear sentry post. duty at once and in tn quickest possible time. Followin l1r ir, hn r posts, every private was given printe slips containing number of essentia points in the guarding of governmen property, factories and general sentr duty which they have been instructe to memorize before the next drill De riod
 An officer of the Fourth Regimen H. G., said today:
 ''It is true that the matter of ca1lin out the Home Guard of Bridgeport t protect factories here during tempo rary changes of the National Guar was discussed on Wednesday in Hart ford. Guardsmen here may look fo such a call at any time. Preparatio is being made for the protection c men from the elements while doin such guard duty and provision is al ready made in Bridgeport for the nee essary food and equipment supplies For a while the men will be pernnitte to sleep in their homes. The servic will be temporary service only''
 It. Col. Stephen F. CroHan, com handing the Fourth Regiment, H. G when his attention was called to tn reports current today signified tha the Military Emergency board ha fully considered calling the men fo duty but asserted that the protectio of factories making government sup plies would necessarily come unde the government army service rathe than that of the state. He also wa strongly of the opinion that any ca made upon the Home Guard for sue service about factories in Bridgepor would be temporary service of nc more than a weeks duration at tn most
 It was learned that the 700 rifles t be shipped to this city on Saturda from Hartford were of the Springf1el .45-70 type.
 ETTKC T,n ENTERTAIN