Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1918 — STATE TO TAKE OVER GUARD [ARTICLE]

STATE TO TAKE OVER GUARD

Ia ml Company to Become a Part of the State Militia. The local unit of the state militia, which was organized last summer and has been drilling regularly for the past several months, will be made a part of the Indiana state militia this week, according to the orders issued by J. M. Sauser, chainman of military affairs of the Jasper County Council of Defense. The orders read as follows: Jasper County Council of Defense Military Department Rensselaer, January 7, 1918. Orders:— . . All officers and men of Provisional Company No. 1, Jasper Coimty State Militia, are hereby notified to appear at the drill hall Wednesday evening, January 9, at 7 o clock, for the purpose of reorganization in accordance with the proclamation of the Governor, dated November 12, 1917. Provisional Company No. 1 win be converted into a unit of the Indiana Liberty Guard, and all men should be present to sign the muster roll. Those men failing to appear at this meeting will be dropped from the old organization and officers and non-commissioned officers will vacate their offices. The officers and non-commissioned officers, if they report for muster Wednesday evening, will be transferred in their respective grades

and rank to the new organization; “The Liberty Guard” is distinctively a “Local” and Indiana affair. It is composed of the busy men of the state, who, too, are engaged in things that “will win t'he war,” but who for many reasons are not eligible fob service at the tfront until the last man is needed. The service performed by it will be: First, to keep the busy home communities in a peaceful state; and, second, . by precept and example to inculcate the military spirit in the young men of the nation, and to provide a primary school for his instruction. No member of the guard should express regret that “many of its young men have gone to the front;” on t'he contrary they should express satisfaction and joy that the Liberty Guard- aided the young soldier in gaining a knowledge of military imiatters in advance of his actual call to the “colors.” The presence .of a well-organized unit of the Guard in any community is a guarantee of peace for its people and a surety bond that disloyalty can hasve no abiding place therein. A cordial invitation is extended to the people of Jasper county to attend the meeting Wednesday evening. By direction of the Jasper County Council of Defense. J. M. SAUSER, Chairman Military Department.