Chap. 255.—An ACT in relation to Virginia council of defense, and county
and city councils of defense, appropriating money for the expenses of
the same, and authorizing and empowering the boards of supervisors of
counties and the governing bodies of cities, to contribute to the expenses
of said county and city councils. [S B 390]

Approved March 15, 1918.

Whereas, the governor of Virginia has designated certain off-
cials of the Commonwealth to act as a council of defense for the
State of Virginia during the continuance of the present war between
the United States and the central European powers of Germany
and Austria-Hungary, for the purpose of assuring the co-operation
of the people of Virginia in the active support of the government
of the Tintted States in the prosecution of said war; and

Whereas, it is desirable that the action of the governor in rela-
tion to the appointment of council should have the formal ap-
proval of the genera] assembly, and that authority should be given
to the governor and the said council to employ the agencies of the
State and local governments in co-ordinating the material, intel-
lectual and moral forces of the Commonwealth in the patriotic work
of aiding the nation in its war for humanity; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the governor of Virginia be and he is hereby authorized to call
upon any of the officers of the State government and of the coun-
ties and cities of the State, who he may have heretofore designated
or may. hereafter designate to serve as members of the Virginia
council of defense or of any county or city council of defense to
perform such services and to employ in the work of such councils
such means as may have been provided by law for the conduct and
maintenance of their respective offices. The governor shall have
authority to designate as members of the Virginia council of de-
fense persons other than State, county or city officials; and may
at any time remove such officials or such other persons from the
said council and appoint others in their stead, and to fill any vacan-
cles that may occur in the membership of said council and may
appoint or delegate to the said Virginia council of defense authority
to appoint county and city councils of defense and other subordi-
nate and ancillary boards, committees or councils; remove and con-
trol any or all of the members of said county or city councils. The
boards of supervisors of the several counties and the councils or
other governing bodies of the cities of the Commonwealth are
hereby authorized to contribute out of the county and city funds to
the expenses of the councils of defense in such counties and cities.
All of the said councils shall have authority to act during the con-

tinuance of the present war and for a period of six months there-
after. :

2. The services of the membership of all of such councils shall
be of a patriotic nature, for which no compensation shall be pro-

vided, but each member of the Virginia council of defense may
receive actual expenses when attending ta the Aunties af eatd neural
elsewhere than in the city of Richmond, said sums to be paid onl,
on the certificate of the governor and upon an itemized statemen
verified by the oath of the members of said council. The super
intendent of public printing shall furnish such stationery and hav
such printing done for said council as may be required of hin
by the executive secretary of said council, with the approval o:
the governor.

3. The Virginia council of defense, with the approval of the
governor, may employ such expert and clerical assistants as may be
deemed necessary for the discharge of their duties, and fix a reason
able compensation therefor; may adopt such rules and regulations
as may be necessary to effectually perform the duties herein set
forth; and may of its own motion or by direction of the governo!
make such investigation, obtain such data as may be deemed neces
sary and may call upon the governing authorities of all counties
and cities of the State to co-operate with said council in such in.
vestigations. The Virginia council of defense and the county and
city councils of defense shall have power to subpoena witnesses, to
require their testimony under oath and to compel the production
of books, accounts, files, papers and other legal or printed docu-
ments deemed relevant to any investigation or matter which may
be under consideration by such council.

4. The Virginia council of defense shall make a full report to
the governor on the first day of January of each year of its activi-
ties during the preceding year, and the governor shall transmit the
same to the general assembly at its next session with such recom-
mendations as he may deem necessary.

5. All associations and organizations in this State which have
heretofore been or may hereafter be created for the purpose of
carrying defense work in any form are hereby made subordinate
to, and subject to the supervision, control, and direction of the Vir-
ginia council of defense.

6. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act
the sum of five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be
necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the treasury
not otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year ending the twenty-
eighth day of February, nineteen hundred and nineteen: and the
further sum of five thousand dollars for the fiscal year ending
the tewnty-ninth day of February, nineteen hundred and twenty.
All bills, accounts and expenses shall be paid by the treasurer on
the warrant of the auditor of public accounts, upon the certificate
of the governor.

7. By reason of the necessity of carrying forward properly the
work of the said councils of defense, an emergency exists, and this
shall be in force from its passage.