Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-24
GOVERNOR SEES NO NEED
TO CONVENE LEGISLATURE
Will Not Call Special Session Unless
Contingencies Not Now
Apparent Arise.
WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO
Believes Laws Already In Force Are
Ample for Any Action State Is
Likely to BE Called Upon to Take
i'm Event OF War.


that the exigencics Of the international
situation might make advisable the
calling OF the General Assembly in cx-
traordinary session, brought from Gov
ernor stuart yesterday the plain indi-
cation that there will be no special
session unless contingencies now un-
forcseen arise.
'Of course" said the Governor. mo
one can say what need may hereafter
arise Tor extraordinary legislative ac-
ton. but ] can think OF nothing for a
special session Of the General Assem-
-hly TO do now. The laws already in
force are ample for any action which
the state as such. is likely TO be called
upon 10 take. in meeting any RESPONSE
. hili,ics growing out Of foreign war
/ No need for an appropriation for war
I purposes now appears.
I'm the event that definite order
comes TO recruit the Virginia National
Guard UP TO war strength, certain
I expense VIII necessarily be involved
but 'hi. can be handled without meet
I inS Of the Legislature. In fact. the
rost of the recruiting would probably
( ,e less than the cost Of the special
( fcssion
( 1T would seem. however. that such
definite order for recruiting is not
imminent. since. in addition to the
'irst and Second Regiments and the
/ 'ignai Corps. which have already been
mustered out. the Blues and Engineer
Corps are also being transferred back
/ 10 the State
TASKS WITH WHICH
I.EGISLATuRE COULD DEAL
/ The providing OF home guard or
/ constabulary TO take the place OF the
militia should it bc recruited for war
B purposes. and the ordering OF a census
( either for the purpose OF registering
allies or ascertaning the number of
males capable OF carrying arms, have
been suggested among the emerg
ency task with which special session
could busy itself
! None of these suggestions found
/ favor yesterday in local official circles.
( II was pointed out that it was eX-
tremely unlikely that the government
/ would entirely denude the state of its
militia. In all probability. 1t is be-
! lieved. enough military would be left
to deal with any internal disturbances
short OF actual invasion. that could
/ reasonably be expected to arise.
The taking OF a military census
would be without value. it was pointed
| out. unless Congress passed a uni
| versal military service measure. III
(which event the government would. in
all probability, prefer to make its own
! cnumerations of the country's able
! bodied males, using for that purpose
| its regular census taking machinery
! \ census made by the state. II is be-
! lievcd. would be disregarded. The very
! light foreign population OF Virginia. ii
was suggested, rendered the necessity
Of registering aliens far less acute in
this State than in industrial States like
| New Jersey. New York and Massa-
| chusetts. where. in many communities
Il majority of the population is either
! foreign born or descended from i'm
migrants.
TENDENCY TO CENTRALIZE
ALL MILITARY AUTHORITY
Although the Governor had nothing
TO say Yesterday In reference to the
varying functions of national and state
military authorities. it is well under
stood In official circles that il is de-
sired by the War Department that all
activity should center in it's organiza
tion. Fedcralizaton of the National
Guard has no; only been discussed. but
! In point OF fact. has been an actual
development in recent years. The Hay
| bill, enacted by Congress last summer
! required for the first time the meih
bers Of the National Guard-of the States
to subscribe to an oath TO obey the
orders OF the President of the United
! States. and. i'm consequence of that
oath, the members of organized mi
litia are liable to Federal service with
in three years from the date OF their
| enlistment. besides three years more
| In what is known as the reserve.
No secret of this tendency to cen
tralize military authority has been
made by officials OF the War Depart
ment. who, on public occasions, have
not hesitated to advocate this view
Major General Leonard Wood. in a Sc.
ries Of addresses delivered at the mil
| TCont{ruod m Sanond \