Connecticut western news., 1917-06-28
RECRUITS NOT TO
 DO GUARD DUTY
 IN CONNECTICUT
VIII Go Into Training Camps When They Enlist to Pre-
 pare For Actual Service.
NO STATE DRAFT COMING

Governor Hocomb Urges Two Fisted,
 Red BIooded" Youths to Rally to Col
 ors So That President Will Not Have
 to Draft Men Into Connecticut Reei-.
 ments.
 Assurance that no man who enlists now in the Connecticut national guard will be required to do guard duty at factories or bridges in the state was given out in a statement by Adjutant General George NJ. Cole, made public through the Connecticut State Council of Defense. The adjutant general said that recruits from now on will be put i'll training camps and prepared for actual service as rapidly as possible
 It is said that the period of guard duty for militiamen is near .an end It is known that Brigadier General Clar- ence R. Edwards, commanding general of the northeastern department Unit ed States army, with headquarters at Boston, holds that the national guards men should be receiving intensive training instead of standing guard over private property. The department con- mander made this much plain in his recent address in Hartford. Adjutant General Cole is known to have views which coincide with those of General Edwards. In line with this, General Cole has engaged civilian watchmen, and they have taken the places of the military guards who have been on duty at the state armory and arsenal ill Hartford.
 It is believed by those familiar with conditions that this announcement that recruits will not be required to do guard duty in the state will result i'll causing many young men who have been undecided about enlisting to re- spond to the call to the colors.
 No State Draft.
 There will be no state draft to fill the Connecticut national guard to war strength. If men are to be drafted for national guard units it will be done by the federal government under the eX- isting military laws which give the president power to draft men for troops in the federal service.
 Governor Marcus H. Holcomb, through the Connecticut State Council of Defense, gave out the information today that there would be no draft by the governor to fill the ranks of the Connecticut national guard. At the same time he appealed to the young men of the state to come forward as volunteers so that 1t would not be :ec- essary for the president of the United States to draft men for the Connecticut units.
 Statement by Governor.
 '4The president of the United States clearly has the power to draft men for the Connecticut national guard, as well as for the national guards of other states" said Governor Holcomb But we do not want such draft to become necessary. It would reflect upon our states history and upon the splendid spirit which our citizens have shown in this crisis if it became necessary for the federal government to step in | and draft men to fill our national guard quota.
 'I believe our red blooded, two fist ed Connecticut boys will respond to | the call for national guard recruits now being made by the Connecticut | State Council of Defense and that we will fill our units to their full war strength without the necessity of a federal draft. It should be remember 1 ed that those who are now registered for selective conscription and in addi- ton, men under and above the conscrip- tion ages are all eligible for enlistment in the national guard"