Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1917-10-03
GOVERNOR BECKETT CALSS FOR
5000 MEN IN THIS STATE BE-
TWEEN AGES OF 81 AND as.
DISPATCHES FROM RALEIGH
Doin9s and Happenings That lark
the Progress of North Carolina Peo-
Pile, Gathered Around the State
Capital.

In a proclamation Governor Beckett
inVokes the active service of the "un-
organized militia" as constituted by
an act of the last general assembly,
ratified March 6 and consisting OF all
male citizens of ths state between the
ages Of Is and As, the call including
those 81 to 45.
The governor proposes to draft o.
900 men from this unorganized mill
tia with not less than 25 men to Il
county and bigger companies for the
larger counties. The regulations for
the %selectiye draft are to be lmme-
diately framed and the draft accom-
p1ished with the least possible delay
in all the counties. Conditions nov
prevailing in the state, the governor
declares, make this move necessary
at this time. The plan is Ii that
was worked out by direction of the
governor some days ago and approved
by the state council OF defense.
Among the conditions that are speed
ing up the formation of the militia
companies are the crimes committed
the past few days in Wake, Vance.
Harnett and Durham counties, all OF
which stirred hundreds of people 10
mob violence.
The states prison here is the
place of safety" to which criminals
are brought to keep mobs from them
nu5 -on4{o~Iop1y lorna unaoiol mill.
tary force is contemplated for Raleigh
and Wake on that account, to deter
combinations Of mob movements from
different counties to force even the
states prison under some circum-
stances.
Already there Is formed a formit
able special company Of selected ctti'
zenry here for service of this sort to
be ready for any emergency. The Or
gantzation was perfected tonight in
the state house with Adjutant Gen
e-al Lawrence ". Young and Maj. W.
+, Moody directing the movement.
The men were called to the service
through special letters and telephones
the past few hours and they are I'M
derstood to be ready for any emer-
gency.
The proclamation Of Governor
Beckett follows:
Whereas, it has been made to ap-
pear to me that conditions now pre-
vail within the state calling for the
use and service of an effective force
for the maintenance of peace and or
der;
Whereas. by IN act by the last
general assembly entitled An act to
revise the military laws of the state
and increase the efficiency of the
militia ratified March 6, 1917, all
able bodied male citizens of the state
and all able bodied male residents
therein, who have signifled their pur-
pose to become citizens, between the
ages of IS and As, unless excepted
by special law, or constituted and de-
c!ared to be the unorganiZed militia
of the state and made subject to the
call Of the governor for the purpose
~QlcaL
Now, therefore, l, Thomas W.
Beckett, governor, by virtue of author
,ty vested in me by the general laws
and more especially by the provisions
Of said act, do make this my procla-
nation and call into the active service
of the state the said u~norganized mi
lftia as described and designated in
said act between the ages of 81 and
IS to the number of 5000, not less
than Is in any n county and the re
mainder to be apportioned to the larg-
er counties as the governor may des-
ignate, to be selected by draft and
forthwith organized and equipped as
provided by said statute and the regu
iations to be Immediately framed and
published"