The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-13
RECRUITING OFFICERS NAMED
FOR CONNECTICUT HOME GUARD
Military Emergency Board Establishes Headquarters In
Old State House at Hartford State Armores Avail
able for Drills-Can For Men From IL to 60 Years
of Age

Hartford, March 13-The military
emergency board, appointed by Gov
Marcus H. Holcomb to perfect the or
ganization of a home guard, met yes
terday afternoon and appointed re-
cruiting officers to obtain enlistments
in towns throughout the state. The
work will begin this morning. Inc
old city hall has been secured as the
headquarters of the committee which
will occupy the front room on the
second floor. The local recruiting Of
flee will also be at the headquarters.
The committee, consisting OF Judge
Lucien F. Burpee and Benedict M.
Holden of this city and Major j. Moss
Ives of Danbury will direct the work
of enlistment from the headquarters
here.
Mr.. Holden said yesterday that
nothing definite had been decided
upon the matter Of uniforms and
equipment, or in regard to the num-
Der of units to be formed. He said
that the committee had been besieged
with kilograms and telephones from
persons and organizations Offering
their services. and that many of the
veteran corps had signiaed their in
tention Of enlisting in units. The local
recruiting office will be open every
day, except Sunday, from a. m. until
9 p. m. to receive enlistr ,ents.
The recruiting officers are for the
most part men who have seen mill
tary service. In obtaining the names
of these. the adjutant general was
consulted. At the present time en-
listment blanks are being printed and
as soon as these can be distributed
to the officers they will begin work.
Practically every town in the state
will have a recruiting officer or will
be reached in this phase of the work.
Judge Burpee said yesterday that
if veteran organizations of the Ma
tional Guard wish to enlist in groups
the committee will be glad to have
them do SO. He also said that it was
the aim of the committee to secure
as many enlistments as possible and
then proceed to organize. force as
seems sufficient and hold the re-
mainder in reserve. Then the differ
ent units will be organized and officers
will be appointed from among the
recruits. The details Of drills, equip
ment, housing and the size and dispo-
sition Of the various units has not
been decided upon, he said, but it was
expected that in the drills, emphasis
would be laid upon guard duty and
upon the fundamentals of military
tactics.
The committee believes that many
men who have seen military service
but who cannot now be held for active
service in the Connecticut National
Guard will enlist in the home guard.
The bill creating the guard provides
that it shall be formed from the "un-
organized militia which cannot be
held for service in the National Guard.
An enlistment in the home guard,
however, will not prevent a man from
having it to enlist in the National
Guard, if he so desires
Acknowledgement George M. Cole
has offered the use Of all state ar
mories for drill purposes. It is ex-
pected that the home guard wilLhave
a large membership. Not all Of the
volunteers will be taken for active