Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-16
HOME DEFENSE LEAGUE
TENDERS ITS SERVICES
Would Substitute for Police While
Latter Clean Up
City.
OFFICERS HoLD CONFERENCE
Committee Is Named to Consult
With Mayor AinSlie OH Monday
Aftcrnoon-Will Take Up Qucs-
tion of Bearing Arms.

3D. Captains and commits toned officers
sSof the twelve companies of the Home
& Defense League of Richmond met last
s might in Murphy's Hotel to discuss
Z what course should be adopted by them
+ in respect to cooperating with the
/ city authorities in stamping out boot
/ logging, vice and gambling in the city.
+ a committee of the captains. Major w.
Nick. Evans and his STAFF and the quar-
1 termaStcr OF the league were appointed
to confer with Mayor George .Ainsiic
Tomorrow afternoon at o'clock. ~
which time the Mayor will he offered
the assistance OF the league. with the
request that he determine how !, can
be, used to the best advantage. The
committee will report the results OF
the conference al special meeting
Tuesday nigh; al $50 o'clock, probably
in the council chamber of the City
Hall. and formulate plans for definite
action.
The action OF the Home Defense
League Is understood to have been
purely voluntary. aud WAS taken after
the situation in Richmond was thor
oughly discussed. About thirty mem
bers were present last night prac-
tically all OF whom expressed their
views as to what the league should do
toward assisting in making tho city
clean. Whether the league could tie
called upon the Mayor to undertake
the cleaning up OF the city was aues-
toned by several members. II not be-
ing an armed body. and this assign
ment being one which they were not
familiar enough with successfully to
cope. However. ii was the general
opinion that emergency existed such
as demanded immediate action. and it
was decided TO suggest TO the Mayor
at the conference tomorrow that the
defense league substitute for the police
as far as practicable while the police
engage in attacking vice. illegal whisky
traffic and gambling.
WILL BRING Up QUESTION
OF BEARING ARMS
In order 10 secure the substitution
1t will be necessary THAI the companies
be armed and this point VIII be brought
UP near the opening OF the conference.
Plans for arminG the companies, in or
der that their work may be effective.
were taken up and a letter written by
one of the officers to Major Evans sew
eral weeks ago requesting its submits
sion with his approval 10 Mayor Aims
lie was read at the meeting. In this
letter Mayor Ainslie was requested To
issue orders giving the league author
lily TO bear arms, and wear military
belts. having provision for police
mans stick on ono sid" and a pistol
holster on the other The letter was
sent to the Mayor with Major Evans
signature OF APPROVAL. but last night /,
was reported that no answer had been
received.
The quartermas,er OF the league a,
the conference tomorrow afternoon.
will take W this matter Win Mayor
Ains;ie and II the suggestions are &C.
cepted immediate steps toward pro-
curing the necessary equipment Will
be taken. The Quartsrmaster said LAST
night that sufficient funds were in the
treasury o. the League 10 cover the
costs OF the equipment and that he
knew OF 500 carhires adaptable TO their
use. which could be purchased without
any delay and a; a low figure