Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-23
Ehpnttg U1at

AhS puSiS5b pGOplS III Inc state III
the rush of preparedness that has
taken hold of almost every line of ac-
tiVity are the commanders of various
units of the National Guard who are
busy checking up their men so that
they will be able to turn out with full
strength on their rolls in the event of
call to active service. When the
organizations started for El Paso they
contained many men who were enlist
ed while the units were at Mt. Gretna =
or VINO were added to them after they
reached the border through the re-
crulung work that followed up in the
State. When they returned these men
scattered to their homes although car
ried on the rolls, and many of them
have been unable to attend drills with
their commands, although it is under
stood that quito a few looked in on
the drills of organizations where they
happened to be or else got transfers.
Now when things commence to look as
though the National Guardsmen would
pc called to duty again the comman-
ders are getting into touch with these
men so that they will be able to sum
mon them when the time comes. In
| TINS section most of the men come
from the immediate territory and
those who are some little distance
away have been communicating with
their commanders.
|
One of the problems that will be
lett for people of communities to solve
in the event of war will be the "home
guards" The regulars and National
Guardsmen will go into the first line
| with reserve recruit establishments in
the State to keep the Guard regiments
up to strength. Then there will be
a volunteer army which will be raised
| independent of the regulars and the
| Guardsmen. This army will probably
| furnish guards for such plants as
| Steelton and the railroad bridges. The
| protection of railroad stations, bridges,
| factories, water works and the numer-
GUS other establishments will be left
| to local authorities. In New England
what are called "Home Guards are
| being organized for this purpose. They
are auXiliaries to police forces and
| somewhat like a sheriffs posse. Citi-
zens not going into the service make
them up and they are for emer-
gencies.
A man familiar with the scheme of
the Home Guard outlined it as some
thing like this: Take Harrisburg, for
instance. You have a number of men
who know the city and its activities
and the kinds of people 1t has Well
| there would be meeting at which u
! committee on home defense would
be named and it would then proceed
W IOTin unlIS. Men whose business
and residence made them familiar
with a certain section of the city
would be enrolled in the unit charged
with duty of turning out to protect
the important places in that part of
the city. These men would not be on
| guard duty except when called. If
there should be an outbreak of vio-
lence of any kind they would be called
to their stations. What they would
nave to do would be to hold meet
ings, learn their duties, engage in
practice and meet couple of times a
week to be ready. They would be
armed and each man would be re-
quired, if things go tense, to have
their arms handy. The Home Guard
is an organized force against emer-
gencies. 1 look to see them formed in
every city in the country"
An extremely interesting document
in support of teachers retirement leg
islation has been sent to the State
Capitol for the edification of the mem
bers of the General Assembly. Thig
document was prepared by commit
tee which has given exhaustive study
to the subject. When it was distrib-
uted among the legislators there was
more or less dismay. The reason was
that the proof of the statment was
made by algebra.
Veterans of the Civil War are hav-
ing the time of their lives just now
inspiring the younger generation in
the crisis with Germany. Some of the
veterans have been calling upon young
men of their acquaintance to ask them
what they are going to do about it and
they recall the lively days of the great
struggle when they marched to the
mastering offices. Harrisburg was one
of the big gathering points for sol.
diers for miles around and many a
regiment was sent forward from this
city.
Men who work in the Lalance and
Grosjean tin plate mills assert that
! spring is surely coming to Harrisburg
and that it will not be long until there
will be signs as indubitable as the
discovery of the first liver wort in
Wildwood Park by DR.. John II. Eager.
These men say that upon several oc-
casions lately, along toward sundown,
they have heard the bullfrogs in the
marshy spots in Hoffman's woods.
Local tradition is bound to be vindi-
Gated.
Harrisburg appears to have an un-
usual number of bark and herb men
working this year and somehow or
other they have Capitol Hill on their
routes. Several men with fragrant
baskets of sassafras and other spring
tonic materials visited the Capitol
yesterday and to-day.