The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1942-04-16
Name Military
Zones In
This District
Closed Areas Established
AT Vulnerable Places
Along G. N. Railway
ACTION TAKEN AS
WAR SAFETY MEASURE

For some time number of sol
diers of the U. S. regular army have
been at work throughout this dis
trict setting up signs that declare
certain areas as military zones. The
soldiers are colored contingent in
charge of white officer.
No explanation has been forth
coming as to the meaning Of the
signs and the public has been won
dering just what they implied. An
inquiry by the Western News made
to the Preparedness and Advisory
Commission Of Lincoln county re-
suited in our being handed a bull
letin that gives quite complete in
formation concerning the signs and
the zones posted
1t turns out that this work is be-
ing done in compliance with an or
der issued by Lieutenant General
]. L. Dewitt, commanding general
of the Western Defense Command.
The Western Defense Command
covers the states of Washington,
Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho.
Nevada, Utah, Arizona and the Ter
ritory of Alaska These various
states have been designated as GER
tain military areas, Military Area
No. embracing the entire state of
Montana
BY virtue Of certain orders issued
by the War Department, the COM
handing general has designated
certain areas as military areas,
from which any or all persons may
be excluded. and with respect to
which the right Of any person to
enter, remain in, or leave shall be
subject to whatever restrictions the
Secretary of War or the appropri-
ate military commander may i'm
pose in his discretion
The order continues with
The Western Defense Command
by its geographical location is par
ticularly subject to attack, to at
forces of nations with which the
United States is now at war, and,
in connection Herewith. is subject
to espionage and acts of sabotage,
thereby requiring the adoption of
military measures necessary to es-
tablish safeguards against such en-
emv operations.
The order lists certain locations
along the Great Northern railroad
consisting of bridges and tunnels
and numbers each These are num-
bered from A-100 to A-l033. The
order says. Such persons or class
es of persons as the situation may
require will by subsequent procla-
I,a "A A
100 to A-1033 inclusive
Further information contained in
the order says that Each of the fol-
lowing described zones includes the
particular plant or facility and the
grounds appurtenant thereto, the
reservation, range, airport bridge,
tunnel or other installation. and al
SO includes the adjoining area with
IN distance of one mile unless ex-
pressly noted otherwise in the spe-
cific case
In Lincoln county the first zone
is Zone A-630, G. N. bridge near
Olney. Other bridges are similarly
numbered near Eureka and Rex
ford The railroad bridge Just east
of Libby is Zone A-637. A tunnel
near Troy is Zone A-638 and a
bridge near Troy is Zone A-639 The
order or Public Proclamation No. 2,
ends with the following paragraphs:
Each and every reference made
in the foregoing descriptions of the
military areas and zones thereof
hereby established and proclaimed
to the Tine" of any highway, street,
or road, refers to and is hereby
proclaimed to mean the boundary
line of the legal right-of- way of
such highway. street, or road, as
now located. Each and every high
way, street, or road hereinabove
proclaimed to be a part of the
boundary line of any of said mill
tary area or zone thereof between
the limits of its legal right-of-Way
is hereby declared and proclaimed
to be outside Of and not part Of
the said military area or zone there
of which it bounds and defines.
For the purpose of this Procla-
nation and such further Orders and
Proclamations as may subsequently
be made affecting the military areas
and zones thereof hereby estab-
lished and proclaimed, any sidewalk
or pedestrian path lying immediate
ly adjacent and parallel to any such
highway, street, or road shall be
deemed to be and is hereby pro-
claimed to be within the "line' of
such highway, street, or road re-
ferred to in the foregoing descrip-
tons.
Each and every highway, street,
road and railway right-of-way To-
Gated in or passing through any
military area or zone thereof land
not a part of its boundaries) is
hereby proclaimed to be expressly
included in such area or zone there
Of and to be subject to regulations
and restrictions applicable thereto.
Buildings, structures, and other
premises and properties situated on