The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-05-25
sELECTIyE CONSUMPTION.


This country is now facing the stern
reality Of war and in few days that
reality is coming directly home TO US
True. a state of war, so far as declara-
ton is concerned, has existed for two
months. but congress has moved pom
derously passing laws necessary to
place the country in a state of pre-
paredeness for active participation in
actual conflict Heretofore the vast
bulk fthe people have not fully re-
allied that a state Of war really exist
ed. Much has been said in the press
about war, and here and there patriotic
young men have responded TO the call
for volunteers but this response has
been slow and meagre to what II
should have been. People have drifted
along the even tenor Of their way, alb
sorbed in business affairs or bent on
pleasure, giving little serious thought
10 war in the concrete. Now war Is
coming directly home to US. II is as
Stunning a serious aspect. A demand.
and not a call, has been issued for mil
itary service, and no man knows TO
whom the call will come. Service 10
the country must be rendered by the
class from which CONSUMPTION is TO be
drawn. The man of designated age
must defend the flag, cheerfully and
voluntarily If the citizen so elects;
INSTANTLY and forceably il the citizen
fails to step to the front Of his own
volition. War it is, and every man Is
expected to do his part.
Congress last week finally passed
the selective conscription act. Under
that law every able bodied man be-
tween the ages Of 81 and 80 years is
liable to service. Certain classes may
be exempt, but conditions are pass
ed upon by a body Of duly constituted
judges No man has right to pass up
on and decide his own qualifications
for service, that is settled later. Every
man between the ages mentioned must
register under the law, and that regis
tration must take place week from
next Tuesday June 5. There are no
modifying provisions about this law.
1t Is positive, strict and memorable.
No shirker can dodge registration. II
he does he does so at his peril. He who
fails to register is liable to imprison-
ment for not more than one year. and
then is duly registered after his dis
graceful term of Imprisonment. So no
man who is within the prescribed age
limit can escape. And, mark you, the
government cannot afford to overlook
the offense Of failure to register as re-
quired under this law. II it did so the
law would be farce, and could not
accomplish the object for which it was
enacted. Let no man harbor the mis-
taken idea that he will be overlooked
by the authorities il he decides not to
present his name for enrolment on
the day designated for registration.
The first unit of 100000 men OF a
great army for offensive and defensive
is provided for by selective conscrip-
ton That number of men will be Sc
lected from the 10000, 900 or more cit
liens between the ages OF Fl and go.
Selections will probably be made by
drawing Gs Is pIdCticcu III Tue sciCN-
ton of jurors. After the drawings, all
those who may be declared as exempt
from the action OF the law will be
eliminated and others drawn to fill up
the vacancies.
On Tuesday, June every man with
in the stipulated age must repair to the
voting place OF the precinct in which
he lives and enroll. Those who may be
i'll must make application for regis
tration through others. Absentees must
register by card. The man between 81
and 80 years Of age, married or single.
no matter what may be his occupation,
his business O. profession, must hand
in his name on the day fixed by law.
Let those subject to conscription bear
this distinctly in mind. There is no get
ting away from this supreme duty. We
trust that there will be no shirkers in
this county when the day arrives for
registration, and that the authorities
will have no occasion to arrest sin
gle resident Of Okanogan county for
attempt to evade the law.