The Mena weekly star., 1917-05-31

, Little Rock. May Z4.-lne lohVW
 ing statement prepared by the Ar 1 kansas State Council of Defense yesterday afternoon contains nfor- nation of the greatest importance to every citizen of Arkansas. Every newspaper in the state is requested to print it in full every minister 10 read it before his congregation. eV- cry teacher before his school, ana every citizen to assist in giving It publicity.
 Congress has passed law pro- viding that on June 5th every male citizen between the ages of 2i and 3i shall report to the polling place in the voting precinct where he re- sides and there register. Heavy penalties will be enforced upon those who fail to comply. The oD- ject of this registration is not to conscript all men between those two ages for immediate service. It is estimated that there are ten mill lion men subject to registration. The Government must know at once what man power it has to depend upon and must have means of To- eating and classifying these men for ! the various kinds of service. It must have means of discriminating so as to know, for example what men should be left in agricultural work or other occupations, what men should be employed in muni- ton factories and ship yards what men should undertake military and naval service.
 Tn August or September five hun- dred thousand men, or one in twen- ty of those who register, will be called to the colors and will begin to undergo training to make them effective soldiers. Later on others will be called, the number being de- termined by the duration of the war and it's magnitude.
 The President of the United States, the Department of War, and the Governor of Arkansas, have asked that registration day be made a national holiday. which may be converted into a magnific mt dem onstration of the unity and patri- otism of our country.
 Tn speaking of registration day President Wilson used these words;
 It is in no sense cOnscription of the unwilling; it is, rather, selec- tion from a nation which has volun- teered in mass. It is no more a choosing of those who shall march with the colors that it is selection of those who shall serve as equally necessary and devoted purpose in the industries that lie behind the hattie line
 Speaking before the National De- fense Conference recently, the See retary of War said
 H'All prejudice will be gone, if, when this day comes, flags are float ing from public and private build- ings and bands are parading the streets. and the people of the cities and of the countryside are accompa- nying their sons and brothers and husbands of suitable age to the reg istration place in the feeling that here in America is the altar of free institutions, and that every man who is putting his name down IS making an acceptable sacrifice
 The Arkansas State Council of De- fense urges all patriotic citizens and organizations in Arkansas to make arrangements at once to hold in all the cities. towns and voting pre- cincts of the State on June 9th pub lie meetings where patriotic pro- grams will be given. Meetings may be held in churches, school houses, or other convenient places. The initiative may be taken by any in- dividual or organization. Time and place may be fixed according to To- cal convenience.
 The program may consist of band music. singing of National airs, flag raising, reading of declaration of in- dependence, reading of the Presi- dents proclamation announcing the date of registration, and such other exercises as may suggest themselves Most important of all is an address preferably by citizen of the com mnnitv or county setting forth the origin of the war, the events thai forced the United States to enter 1t and the objects for which we arc fighting. Every such address should emphasize the necessity of sub scriptions to the liberty loan. There are thousands. of persons in Arkan- sas who are perfectly able to buy bond for fifty dollars or one hun dred dollars or more who do mol