Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1917-07-04
ARMY PHYSICALLY FIT
ONLY THOSE WITH PERFECT PLY.
SIQUE TO BE SELECTED.
LOCAL BOARDS TO JUDGE.
Government Sets High Standards for
Its -SIackers Will Be
Dealt With the Mailed Fist.

The finest army physically the
world has ever seen will be the result
of the policy determined upon by the
president and the secretary of war in
connection with the operation Of the
draft, says a dispatch from Washing
ton.
Moreover, and this is important,
the army will not be conscripted by
the federal government IN the sense
generally given to that term. It will
be raised by the states themselves
and offered to the government for the
prosecution of the war.
In other words, the government is
not going into a home in Wisconsin,
pick out a member of family and
haul him to the cOlors. 1t prefers the
different and essentially patriotic pro-
cedure OF having each community
itself select the men for military SER
vice and hand them over to the feder-
al authorities for training and battle
duty. Here is recognition Of self-gov-
eminent Here, also, is appeal to To-
cal pride The iron hand OF Washing
ton does not appear in the picture. 1t,
OF course, is there and it will be en-
ployed against slackers. But as re
suit of the course determined upon,
officials do not believe there will be
di orders or dissatisfaction through
the direction to the men selected to
report for service.
The procedure to be pursued will be
strikingly different from that observed
during the civil war Then it was fed
eraI agents who enforced the draft.
Men not known in a community
sought out those designated for duty
1t made no difference who they were
or how valuable they might be for. war
purposes at home. They were called
and they had to respond.
In connection with the enforcement
of the existing law, exemption boards
Will be created These boards will
consist Of local men recommended for
appointment by the governors Of the
states.
The president and secretary of war
will make no appointments without
state designation. If any men should
lie recommended whose fitness may
be questioned, the governor who is
responsible will be advised and he
will be expected to make another rec.
ommendation
The members of the board will have
personal knowledge Of conditions in
their respective districts They will
consider the agricultural, industrial
and business needs, and in selecting
men, they will be governed by their
conclusions respecting them
Thus, So far as the federal govern
ment is concerned, not the slightest
interest in politics will be shown
Indeed, the president and Mr.. Baker
are determined that politics shall
have no influence in the selection of
men. Those called must go unless
exempted by the local board or the
district board Appeals to Washing
ton viii have no weight. On the other
hand such appeals will count against
the man in whose behalf they are
made.
Each board will have a surgeon ex-
aminer. It will be his duty to exam
inc every man drafted and to decide
whether or not he is fit for the ardu-
Gus service Of fighting.
Under the regulations being framed
for the guidance Of exemption boards,
men will be exempt unless they meet
the following requirements:
Be not less than feet inches,
nor more than feet
Have practically perfect lungs,
heart and kidneys.
Have good hearing and good sight.
Be free from chronic or mental dis
orders.
Possess normal number of fingers,
toes and ears.
Have no foot deformity; IN this is
included fiat feet.
Have at least four molar teeth.
In view of the large number of men
nearly 00,000-who will be sub
ject to draft, the war department be-
leVes it can afford to be particular.
To take men of unsound health,
with bad eyes or hearing, would be
merely to hamper the government in
molding the mob into the effective,
well-disciplined army that must be
employed to bring the German gov
eminent to terms.
The navy has had one experience
from the introduction Of disease into
IS anxious to avoid.
Under the military plan of careful
examination and careful rejection of
men not up to the high mark set,
fathers and mothers may be certain
that their sons will not be contami-
po+a6