To Arms

U. S. A T W A R

The citizens of Tillamook County, Ore., like all Americans in time of danger, feel better with guns in their hands. In Tillamook they got out their guns and oiled them. (see cut)

A citizenship instructor named Stewart P. Arnold started the ball rolling in his county. Arnold had lost his sight, but not his spirit, as a member of the first A.E.F. in World War I. Now he set about organizing his townsfolk into a band of tough, eager guerrillas, ready & waiting for invader or saboteur.

More than a thousand men, with rifles and shotguns, turned out. There were snuff-dipping, mackinawed men from the forests; ruddy, overalled farmers of sturdy Swiss stock; pale businessmen from the little towns. They stood in line, swore on the Bible:

"I . . . take the oath of the guerrilla in all true faith. . . . If necessary I will die for my country. So help me God."

They meant it. They had no uniforms, did no drilling, furnished their own guns and ammunition for target practice. But they were dead shots and they were ready to shoot. They were even prepared to scorch the good earth of Tillamook County.

The War Department and the Oregon State Guard did not know quite what to make of them. Tillamook's guerrillas got a commendatory pat for patriotic spirit. But Guard Commander Ralph P. Cogwill remarked that ununiformed soldiers are usually treated as spies or snipers if captured, said thoughtfully that "some of these fellows are fanatics."

Replied Guerrillissimo Arnold: "That spy and sniper business doesn't bother us. We've taken an oath. . . . We'd rather die [fighting] than have a bayonet run through us like they got in Hong Kong."

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