New Mexico state record., 1918-11-29
COMMUNITY C0UN-
C|LS OF DEFENSE
PROPOSED BY READ
NEW CHAIRMAN OF COUNTY
COUNCILS ASKS GREATER
ACTIVITY AND MORE UNI.
TY OF PEOPLE IN WORK
TO BE DONE

TO BE DONE
At the first meeting Of the count,
council of defense of Santa Fe coun
ty, under the new organization which
is headed by Benjamin M. Read a
chairman and which was held Sun
day afternoon. Mr.. Read spoke 70,
closer cementing of the organiza
ton through the foundation of com
munity and precinct councils OF dc
fense and urged that all politics anc
personal matters be laid aside. L
was announced that meeting o.
the council will be held on Frida,
night when some matters Of extreme
Importance are to be considered.
Mr.. Reads address follows:
Gentlemen Of the Council: II be.
ing customary for presiding officer:
on assuming the performance oi
their duties to make an official an.
nouncement Of the program, or lines
of official conduct they expect to
follow during the time of their In.
cumbency in office, I beg to be per-
mitted to say, in assuming the duties
of the office you have selected me
to fill, which honor I keeniy appre-
ciate and which / shall fill, as far
as my ability will permit me, in an
impartial, fair. frank and straight
forward manner, a few words out
lining the work which. in my judg-
ment, needs our immediate atten-
tion:
First. l want you to feel that the
same good faith. the same open
handed and truthful policy observ-
ed by my predecessor will be fol-
lowed and observed by me. In ex-
planning his reasons for resEning
his office as chairman OF this coun-
Gil on the 18th instant, Mr.. Levi A.
Hughes made some remarks worthy
of consideration by us all there hav-
ing been some members absent from
that meeting deem it proper for
their benefit to repeat. in substance.
what he said. with view Of giving
to all an opportunity to ponder on
the meaning and effect of that part
of Mr.. Hughess' last official state
ment.
"Mr. Hughes, in all candor, admit
ted that this council, in way as
he said, had not fully complied with
its duties, etc. His statement is, of
my own knowledge and to GER
tain extent, certain and incontrover-
tible. During the time this body has
been in existence much of what was
expected from it was, it is true ac-
complished; if there remained any
matters unattended I do not know.
and of my own knowledge only one
thing of the matters by US UNDER
taken remains unfinished, although
steps have already been taken to
finish what is left undone. am
alluding to the work of organizing
a community council in each precinct
of the county. About half OF the
county has been organized and the
community councils, so
have been, and are. ready
to cooperate with US; but it was
thought better to not make a full
report of these organizations until
the work was completed, facilitat-
ing thus the labors of this council
in the matter of correspondence, etc,
with said community councils. Mr..
our secretary, who with
me and Judge Laughlin was appoint
ed to perform that duty, is now about
to finish what remains to be done,
and as soon as he has completed
the task full report will be made
to this council and to the state
council of defense.
1.-THE force, then, of remarks so
made by Mr.. Hughes, as | understood
Them, are applicable, principally, to
The lack of interest shown by some
Of our members in the matter of
the meetings of the coun-
I'll; to the indifference with which
hey have looked upon the fulfill
nent of the oath which we gave
md subscribed. the day we became
of this body. That fact
cannot be controverted, and IL is
against that faulty habit that I want |
% guard by asking you all to at
end promptly and regularly. unless
ome reasonable excuse shall prevent
,ou from doing so, all meetings of
he council. By working in unity |
Ind harmony we can be sure of J
'ull measure of success in all our
abors, and also in setting the pace
or our community councils of de-
ense to follow; let Us forget politics +
md resentments; let US remember
hat in faithful serving our govern
nent we are only complying with .
olemn duty, which we voluntarily
md under our oaths pledged our
elves to perform.
"As you know, the government +
till needs our cooperation; we have
,een urged to remain in office, and
llso advised that there is ahead as
much, If not more work now and
or some time to come, as ever there
vas during the war. for the councils
# defense to do. We must get ready
o do our share of that work and
o do it promptly, faithfully and
willingly.
in conclusion, want to assure
,ou that if this council fails in COM
ng up to the demands of our gov
.rnment it will not be, I hope, on
lccount of any neglectfulness on my
,art; that, so far as I am concern
ID. no member will be sighted: all
viii be treated alike; we all have
qua1 rights.
"To better coordinate our labors
With the labors of our community
ouncils let me suggest the appoint
nent of an executive committee of,
ay five members, with power to act
n all things which the council may