Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-05
MOTOR CORPS HOME DEFENSE
ORGANIZATION PROGRESSES
Meeting of Automobile Vigilance Staff Is
Held to Select Twelve Lieutenants.
800 Members Wanted.

, Of conduct detrimental to tho good
Member agrees to drive his own
! car and be responsible for its opera
ton and for all insignia and property
! OF the Motor Corps delivered to him.
demand.
Members can anticipate being call
ed for duty, working in relays. for tho
transportation Of nurses and doctors
continuously in time of eptdemtcs;
for transportation of milk or water
| should these supplies be unfortunate
| ~ cut of; for transportation of police
and soldiers and patrolling OF streets
at the time of inauguration parades
and other public ceremonies or In
cases Of rioting. and for tho relief of
motor drivers in the police and hro
departments in case of calamity. such
as tornadoes. earthquakes. floods.
large fires or for any other emer-
opinion of the police authorities Of
the District of Columbia.
"On account of the scarcity OF motor
cars in our police department. differ
emit sections of the Motor Corps may
be ordered to assist the police with
transportation in minor emergencies,
such as search for criminals extend
ing for night after night.
Due to the peculiar conditions al
ways present in the nations capital,
1t is important that members join the
Motor Corps only with full knowl-
edge of the work they may be called
upon to do and hold themselves 10y
ally ready to render any service and
uphold the hands of the law in times
Of emergency, and to loyalty support
the superintendent and major Of Do
lice and the individual policemen in
their efforts to make Washington the
best ordered city in America"
Police Vigilance Corps.
Insignia of the corps. which will
consist of a small metal disk fas-
tened to automobiles to identity mem
bers to the police. will be completed
in the course of q few weeks. All
cars bearing this insignia, which will
be lettered. Home Defense League,
police vigilance corps, and besides
setting an example to other motorists
by careful driving, will be required to
report any violation of traffic rules
seen on the streets of Washington.
The effect of 900 such cars constant
ly on the streets is expected to ma
terialy reduce traffic accidents and
make District motorists realize the
necessity of careful driving.
1t is expected to hold at least four
entire corps. The meeting places have
have not been designated as yet, buN
will probably be on the ECLIPSE and
on the Capitol Plaza
machines Will De divided In Efoup8
SO that traffic on the streets viii
not be clogged during the course Of
assembly.
Burden ON Few Men.
During the race riots last year. ow-
ing to the comparatively few mem
bers in the Motor Corps, the burden
of helping fell heavily on a few men.
With the Motor Corps recruited to
full strength and kept in training
throughout the year such an emer-
gency would find plenty of cars or
men capable of taking duty several
hours at stretch This would re-
lieve the necessity Of one or possibly
two men standing on duty for per-
haps twenty-four hours at a time,
such as was the case in the recent
riots.
Applications for membership can
be obtained by applying to either Mr..
Rayner or any of the stan. A meet
ing will be held next Thursday to
map out the locations Of several serv-
ice stations. which in time Of trouble
would agree to run twenty-four.hour
shifts. This ia said to be an impor.
tant feature Of the work rendered by
the corps, because in emergencies It
is sometimes difficult to get gasoline
and oil