The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1917-05-31


nation setting aside June 9Th,
registration day, as one for pa
triotic celebration. He asks the
people to have whistles blown
and church bells rung at 7:30 the
morning of registration, to pa.
rade the streets, to give badges
to those registering and for reg
istrars to serve free of charge.
The proclamation is as follows:
To the People of Mississippi:
The President, has by procla-
nation, established Tuesday,
June 5th as Registration Day
and stated 1.-The day here named
is the time upon which all shall
present themselves for assign
ment to their tasks. 1t is for
that reason destined to be re-
membered as one of the most
conspicuous moments in our his
tory. 1t is nothing less than the
day upon which the manhood of
the country shall step forward in
one solid rank in defense of the
ideals to which this nation is
consecrated. 1t is important to
those ideals no less than to the
pride of this generation in mani
Testing its devotions to them
that there be no gaps in the
ranks" President Wilson also
lays emphasis on the fact that
this day should be approached
in thoughtful apprehension of its
significance and that we accord
to it the honor and meaning that
it deserves" that ''our industrial
needs prescribes that it be not
made a technical holiday. but
that the stern sacrifice that is
before us urges that it be carried
in all our hearts as a great day
of patriotic devotion and obliga-
ton when the duty shall lie upon
every man, whether he is him.
self to be registered or not, to
see to it that the name OF every
male person of the designated
ages is written on these lists Of
honor. !"
| cannot too fully endorse this
measure to the American people.
On June 9Th our country takes
the initial step in preparing for a
struggle upon the success Of
which our future as free, dem
ocratic and happy people rests.
Those who come within the linn
its for registration should regard
it as a privilege that they are
permitted to be enrolled on the
lists from which will be drawn
those who are to be first on the
fighting line. Those who do not
come within the age limits should
in every way honor and encour-
age those who do. We should
honor those who are the first to
come forward and offer for ser
vice. Registration Day should
be celebrated in a serious spirit
and outside objects and interests
should not be allowed to intrude
thereon.
would discountenance elabor-
ate and costly decorations and
the spirit Of volunteer service
should be foremost.
The registration places should
be the center of interest and be
decorated with the national col
ors and emblems. / would sug-
gest that at Z o'clock in the
morning when the registration
booths open the church bells, the
fire alarms and factory whistles
be sounded thus letting the peo-
pie know that this momentous
day is being ushered in. Our
patriotic people should inaugur-
ute parades during the day and
those of registration age sht uld
be a leading feature. The pa
rades should stop at the registra-
ton places and patriotic music
be played and songs sung to in
dictate our feelings. Those who
register should be presented
with a badge Of simple design
with an appropriate MOTTO. 1t
would be most fitting for our
people to meet in public assem-
blage after the registration closes
and that speeches be made, mu-
sic rendered.and the message OF
our President read.
What I wish to impress upon
our people is the solemn duty
each and every one Of us owes to
our country in this most import
ant crises of our history. We
are engaged in a struggle with the
greatest military power of mod
ern times, a power that for forty
years has been preparing for
world domination, to place au-
tocracy above democracy, and a
power that is yet prepared to
struggle on a gigantic sale.
The undertaking to which we
have pledged our every resource
calls for public and personal sac
~;Goo ord x,Yo ohoi,ld olodlu M Ia