Norwich bulletin., 1917-06-21

was partly due to the troops being spread in small detachments over a great area. doing guard dutya It has becn difficult to get sufficiently large recruiting details without taking men off the guard duty.
 Colonel Goodman said that the reg iment. had 300 men when called into service. The discharge of about 300 had been required. The regiment now has 1,I50 men. Company E of New Britain Is now forty -four men short, Company l. of Wilfimantic is nine ty-ffve men short, other companies are short varying numbers between these two figures.
 Colonel Goodman said he has called upon mayors of cities and first select men of towns where First Regiment units are located to name civilian committees to aid in recruiting work. similar plan, he felt, might be used throughout the state for both the na- tionaI guard and the regular army.
 For Period of War Only.
 Adjutant General Cole pointed out that there is a large field for recruit ing in war time not open in peace time. All enlistments now made are for the period of the war only, le said, and not for a period of years.
 The chairman then made a call for suggestions. John H. Goss of Water bury said he felt that the reason young men don't come forward in the tpye of
 
 at thfs time. The reason the Sec ond Regiment had filled up more rapid ly, he thought, was because the feel ing had gone out that it would be one of the first to go to the front. These are red blooded young men," he said. and they are looking for ac- tion, not inaction."
 George B. Chandler, chairman of the defense councils publicity committee, said that "here and now the civilians of Connecticut ought to relieve the of ficers of the regiment of the task of getting recruits. MT. Chandler sug- gested a programme which included assigning to each county a quota and putting it up to" the county commit tee of the council of defense to produce that quota. Shall it be said that we have failed the last of our three great war governors--Trumbull Buck ingham and Holcomb-in this most inn portant part of our war work?' asked Mir Chandler He suggested that re- cruiting might be made a part of the Fourth of July celebration, which this year must be in the nature of re- ligious ceremonial. Whatever is done, he said, should be done by the coun cirs county auxiliary committees and the military officers thus be relieved of the detail work.
 Until we make every one realize that this countr. is at war and that we have got to take the man burden as well as the money burden we can't
 
 son of Bridgeport. William V. Dee of Bridgeport told of what is being done in his city to interest men in the ser vice.
 l.. G. Kibbe of Torrington said that Connecticut is essentially a manufac- turing state and the manufacturers must be called upon to help. MT. Kibbe said he heartily approved of MT. Chandlers programme.
 Get your regiments off this guard duty as soon as possible" he advised. Let Xour ornate posters alone. Get rid of this secrecy. Tell when the National Guard is going to do some thing. Parade your soldier boys. Let every one see what fine crowd of fel- lows they are. Get your manufactur- CTS with you. Do these things and I'll guarantee that in ten days you'll have the men you need" Mir. Kibbe said that he is a manufa cturer. that his factory is making essentials, but that he would take a chance" on letting few men go for military service and breaking in others.
 Rear Admiral William Sheffield Cowles, U. s. N., retired, approved of the pan advanced by Mir. Chandler. We must go out and get these men," he said. We need about 100 auto mobiIs to go out after them with. General Cole has asked for the mon he needs, and he ought to get them. I hope he will. 1 believe we can get the men needed. It seems to me that
  spoke. hit the nail on the head
 Bridgeport, Litchf1eld and Windham county representatives offered to pro- vide any and all automobiles Major Mercer might need for his recruiting work.
 In answer to a question, Colonel Goodman said that the federal govern ment notified him, when he asked for benefits for dependents of soldiers did not affect the ruling that men with dependent relatives should be dis charged.
 County Meetings Held.
 Judge T. F. Noone of Rockville moved that a 15-minute recess be talk en in order that county meetings might be held for discussion of plans ad vanced. It was voted that the recess be taken and the meeting broke up into county groups.
 J. c. Brinsmade reported for Litch- field county. Dudley l.. Vaill, who was secretary of the county meeting, read resolutions calling for the council of defense to urge federal authorities that the militiamen be withdrawn from guard duty and put into training, and that the governor issue a proctama- tion calling upon citizens to take up arms.
 For New Haven county, Wilson H. Lee seconded the resolutions.
 Judge E. K. Nicholson for Fairfield county approved the resolution and suggested, beyond these, that mass meetings be held in every town.
 For Holland county, c. D. Taicott assured trans portation throughout the country. Were all prepared to do what we can in Holland county" he said. He approved MT. Chandler's plan.
 G. E. Meech, for Middiesex county, 1 told of Middletown's plans for a Fourth 1 of July celebration.
 For Windham county, G. H. Kilpat- | f-i6 nf ha NIa He said that his committee would | work to fill the county's quota.
 A. L. Shipman said, for Hartford l county, that it had been voted to ask | General Cole for the number wanted | and declared that the committee would | first consult employers of labor and 1