Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-09
NO LETTER RECEIVED
 HERE FROM GOVERNOR,
First Selectmen Are to Assist in Tak-
 ing Military Census.

Up till Thursday night First Select man Casper K. Bailey had received no letter from Governor Holcomb asking him to cooperate in taking the mili- letters have been sent to every first Selectman in the state with this end in view. The letter reads as follows: Executive Chambers, State Capitol. Hartford, Conn. Feb 8, 1917 Dear Sir: Yesterday the legislature at my request, passed an act empower ing me to cause to have taken a cen sus, both of men and of resources, of this state.
 The act is as follows: Section l. That the governor is hereby to cause to be taken forthwith a census and inventory of resources of the state in men and materials, avail able for use in the event of war, and the information thereby secured shall be placed at the service of both the state and the federal government Secrtion 2. In the preparation of the duty of every public official in the state to furnish to the governor what ever information and assistance he may require.
 Section 3. The comptroller is here by directed, upon the request of the governor, to draw his orders on the treasurer for all necessary expenses incurred in carrying into effect the
 
 Section 4. This act shall take effect from its passage.
 I deem it of the utmost importance that full information should at once be gathered, whether this country actual ly becomes party to the war or not The present situation is one which calls for the utmost of serious thought and patriotic endeavor on the part of every citizen, and especially of evoty official. whether of the state or of the towns. I look to you, both as first se- lectman of your town and as a citizen of Connecticut, to give to me unspar- ingly of your time and of your ability in the task I am about to assign to you.
 The census is to be taken in each town by agents who will bear a com mission from me, as governor, to carry out the work.
 I will appoint no man who will ex- pect any reward other than the satis- faction of feeling that he has done his best, promptly and efficiently, to serve his state in time of need.
 A list of questions to be asked every male resident above IS years of age, the answers to which should. at this crisis. be in the possession of the state, has been prepared and submit ted to the government officials for ap- proVal or correction.
 It is expected that these blanks will be ready for distribution early in the coming week.
 It will be the duty of each agent I shall appoint to thoroughly canvass the district assigned to him and to cause to have the blanks filled in by each male resident above IS years of age.
 An office in the Connecticut Mutual building, No. 36 Pearl street, Hartford. to be known as the bureau of military census. has been opened. All matters pertaining to the census will be ham, dled through this office and your reply to this letter should be addressed to it.
 Under the authority vested in me by the act above mentioned. call upon you to furnish so that the fnforrna tion may be in the office not later thap Monday, Feb. 12, the names of men in your town who will undertake, under you. as selectman, the taking of this census.
 you so that each may cover a district of your town with which he is fa- miliar, and you should select them in such numbers that each may have ap- proximateiy 50 residents to- call upon.
 Immediately upon receipt of these names, commissions covering their ap- pointment will be issued and you will be furnished with full printed instruc- tions for each agent in the carrying on of the work. You will be required inn mediate1y upon receipt of same to call said agents together at some conven- tent place in your town, so that the commissions may be distributed, the instructions fully explained and the work entered upon forthwith.
 To reiterate: Your immediate duty is to select agents as outlined above and to have their names in the hands of the bureau of military census, Connecticut Mutual building, 36 Pearl street, Hartford, on or before Monday, Feb. 12.
 CSfgned)
 MARCUS H. HoLCoMB.