New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-18
The Home Defence Middle
Blu Charles Edward West

Following the time honored custom of the
Anglo-Saxon race, this country first declared
war and then began to consider the sd-
visibility of getting some soldiers to fight
the enemy. At this point a real difference
of opinion arose. great many people were
of the opinion that il would be better TO wait
until the enemy came here, and then look
for soldiers to drive him out. Some people
are still Of that mind. After prolonged dis
cussion it was decided to go ahead and keep
the enemy out of this country. The general
idea seemed to be that We should take all
the soldiers that we already had, add to
them by draft and voluntary enlistment and
send them to Europe as soon as possible.
In the funess of time it began 10 dawn
upon the American people that some pro-
vision ought TO be made TO maintain at
home force adequate to guard public prop
erty and prevent disorder The obvious ex-
pedent of leaving some soldiers here for
that purpose was too simple to be thought
Of With our natural passion for the devious
and complicated, which we inherit from our
honest English ancestors, We began to look
for somebody other than soldiers to do this
soldier work at home. Our habitual incon-
sistency required that while foreign service
must be performed chiefly by conscripts,
the necessary military tasks at home must
be undertaken by volunteers. In order to
insure the greatest possible diversity Of
methods, the work must be left to the forty
al ka "a
triumphant muddle. Some Of the states
have deputy sherifs, some have special con-
stables, some have vigilance committees,
home guards or what not, and some have
nothing but the consciousness Of rectitude,
which seems adequate to meet any emergency.
All Sorts and Conditions
In New York State the Governor requested
the County Judge and President of the
Supervisors of each county to appoint
committee of seven citizens to formulate
plan for organizing the home defence forces
of the county. Some counties did little or
nothing. In other counties more or less
effective organizations of special deputy
sheriffs were established. In some instances
villages took hold and pro-
yided uniforms and some sort of firearms.
For most Of the companies, however, no
public appropriations were made, and arms
and uniforms, if obtained, we're secured at
the expense of the members and their
friends. The various units were frequently
seen at parades and public ceremonies.
Some companies carried rifles, some had
revolvers, others had night sticks and many
units had no arms at al. Some companies
wore "olive drab" uniforms like those Of the
army, others wore SLATE gray and still
others achieved a semblance Of uniformity By
means of campaign hats or leggings. Many
of the companies never had either arms or
uniforms. The oath of Office which these
men took as special deputy sherifs bound
them to serve only in the county.
No sooner had these organizations attained
some degree of efficiency than it was decided
that the Governor would exercise his
power creating new bodies OF
militia. The deputy sheriffs were the first
men asked to enlist. The enlistment oath
required a man to serve anywhere within
the state, if so ordered. Notwithstanding
the Governors explicit announcement that
the men would not be called away from their
home counties except in a dire emergency,
doubt and confusion arose in the ranks.
Some of the men, suspecting trick, would
not enlist. New men had to be found to
fill the ranks.
Rifles Still Lacking
The state authorities, in issuing the call
for the formation of this militia body, called
the Home Defence Corps" announced that
no provision for arms, uniforms or equip
ment would be made by the state That
matter was left to the counties or other
under recent acts OF the LegiS-
lature giving local authorities power to ap-
proprate money for these purposes. 1t was
expected that rifles would be provided by the
United States government. a recent act Of