Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-20
TUE PRESIDENT
SHOWS NEED OF !.
CONSCRlPTl0N
Importance of General Staff
Army Bill Explained by
Executive in Letter-Vol-
unteers Will Still Be Civ
en- Opportunity.

Washington, April 19.-President
Wilson today sent a letter to Repre-
sentative Helvering Of Kansas ex-
planning and strongly supporting h
administrations army bill with its sell
ective conscrtption plan. The letter
indicated the purpose Of the admins
tration to insist upon enactment Of
the measure vigorously.
The letter follows:
Il welcome the inquiry of your let
ter Of April 10 because I ha<e realized
the truth of what you say from my
own observations, namely, that what
10 meant to be understood by the sell
ective draft is nj generally under
stood throughout the country.
THE process of the draft is, I think
very clearly set forth in the bill draft
I so earnestly hope the congress will
adopt. but it is worth while to state
the idea which underlies the bill a lit
tie more fully.
Many Forms Possible.
Il took occasion the other dayt in
an address to the people Of the coun-
try to point out the many forms of
patriotic service that were open to
them and to emphasize the fact that
the military part Of the service was
haps. ali s.tngs considered not the
most vital part. Our object is a mo-
~bilization of all the productive and
active forces Of the nation and their
development to the highest point of
cooperation and efficiency and the
idea OF h selective draft Is that those
should be chosen for service in the
army who can be most readily spared
from the prosecution Of the other acti-
V1t1es which the country must engage
In and to which it must devote a great
deal OF its best energy and capacity.
THE volunteer system does not do
this. When men choose themselves,
they sometimes choose without due
regard to their other responsibilities.
Men may come from the farms or
from the mines or from the factories
or centers of business who ought not
the armies in the fields and see that
they ge everything that they need
and that the people of the country are
sustained in the meantime.
"The principle of the selective draft
in short, has at its heart this idea,
that there is a universal obligation to
serve and that a public authority
should choose those upon whom the
obligation Of military service shall rest
and also in a sense choose those who
shall do the rest Of the nations work.
The bill. If adopted, will do more, I
believe, than any other single instru-
mentality to create the impression of
universal service in the army and out
Of It. and II properly administered,
will be a great source of stimulation.
Those who feel that we are turn
ing away altogether from the volun-
teer principle seem to forget that
some 100000 men will be needed to
fill the ranks Of the regular army and
the national guard and hat a very
great field of individual enthusiasm
lies there wide OPEN"
Confident of Passage.
The president and administration
leaders are confident of the ultimate
enactment Of the army bill without
material change. The fight probably
will begin in the senate, where the
bill will be taken as soon as the es-
pionage is disposed of.
Chamberlain of the mill
tary committee submitted his favor
able report today.
Chairman Dent of the house COM
mittee. formally presented during the
day the report Of has committee Of
fering the bill in amended form au-
thorizing the president to call for vol
unteers in increments Of 100000, and
providing for the selective draft only
after the volunteer plan has failed.