The Maryland Council of Defense was appointed by Governor
Emerson C. Harrington under an Act of the extra session of the Mary-
land Legislature held in June, 1917. The Council was organized July II,
1917. The membership of the Council consists of the old Preparedness
and Survey Commission, which had been appointed informally by the
Governor earlier in the year, with others named by the Governor to com-
plete the required membership of fifty, of whom twenty-five are represen-
tatives of the counties of the State. General Carl R. Gray, Chairman of
the old commission, was elected Chairman of the Council. He served
until December 1, 1917, when he resigned and was succeeded by General
Francis E. Waters. This Council acts through an Executive Committee,
which consists of five citizens and the State Comptroller and the Treas-
urer, a total of seven, as follows: General Francis E. Waters, Chairman;
Frank A. Furst and General Carl R. Gray, of Baltimore city; Hon.
Stevenson A. Williams, of Harford county; Judge Hammond Urner, of
Frederick county; Hon. John M. Dennis, State Treasurer and Hon. Hugh
A. McMullen, State Comptroller. The Governor has the veto power on
the appropriations of the Committee. He has attended many of its
meetings and. takes a deep interest in its work. Although not a member
of the Committee, the Attorney-General, Hon. Albert C. Ritchie, has
been present at most of the meetings, and has been of great assistance
to the Committee.

The Executive Committee held its first meeting on July II, and
organized for action. Later it elected Lynn R. Meekins, Secretary, and
Wm. 0. Peirson, Treasurer, and rented offices in the Union Trust Build-
ing, Baltimore.

The membership is as follows:

Baltimore City:—Francis E. Waters, C. R. Gray, F. N. Hoen, Frank A.
Furst, J. M. Dennis, Howard Bruce, James C. Legg,
Charles M, Cohn, A. W. Thompson, W. H. Manns,
Holden A. Evans, Charles E. Rieman, G. R. Sinnick-
son, Frank R. Kent, Joseph Y. Brattan, Stuart Olivier,
W. H. Killian, Francis M. Jencks, B. H. Griswold, Jr.,
Redmond C. Stewart, Albert C. Ritchie, Henry M. War
field, Dr. Gordon Wilson, Dr. Edward Bennett Mathews,
Louis K. Gutman, Hammond Urner, Frederick; Steven-
son A. Williams, Belair.

Allegany County Daniel Annan, Sr., Cumberland
Anne Arundel County Frank M. Duvall, Annapolis
Baltimore County Charles J. Fox, Orangeville
Calvert County Dr. Philip Briscoe, Mutual
Caroline County Harvey L. Cooper, Denton
Carroll County Dr. H. M. Fitzhugh, Westminster
Cecil County Dr. Howard Bratton, Elkton
Charles County Dr. L. C. Carrico, Bryantown
Dorchester County W. Laird Henry, Cambridge
Frederick County J. H. Gambrill, Jr„ Frederick
Garrett County Gilmor S. Hamill, St. Oakland
Harford County Thomas H. Robinson, Belair
Howard County R. A. Johnson, Laurel
Kent County Hope H. Barroll, Chestertown