Arizona republican., 1917-04-10
CHANCEFORMEN \ AND WOMEN TO
 SHON LOYALTY
TRerublicsn A. p. Leased Wire1

WASHINGTON, April 9-AD men and women who want to do their bit
 for the country in the war with Ger
 many without enlisting in the regular
 military or naval forces are given op- portunity to enroll for service under a
 plan announced today with the ap-
 prOval of the secretary of war. The
 national committee of patriotic and de- fense societies, acting as a clearing house for twenty eight organizations,
 has been designated as a semi-official | organization of the government to CO., ! ordinate the efforts of individuals as well as organizations.
 The committee, headed by George Wharton Pepper of Philadelphia, and
 with Lieutenant General S B. Nj. Young as it's honorary chairman, in announcing the plans. says:
 This committee, which was formed at the semi official suggestion for the expressed purpose of harmonizing the efforts of patriotic organizations, has felt justified in undertaking to formu-
 late plans under which those who wish to pledge their services to the country
 in any capacity may organize them selves into a well co-ordinated body.
 We all want to do our bit But if
 we flood the government with promis- | cuous offers to volunteer, other than
 In the regular army, or seek to organize
 companies and regiments in ways which do not fit in with the war de- partment plan, we are likely to prove more troublesome than useful
 We ought to be able to organize and Coordinate oGr efforts to help the gov 1 ernment subiugating our personal de- sires for distinguished opportunity for l service to the needs of the organized whole.
 Plans for developing a nation wide
 volunteer reserve, enrolled by state focal committees under a domestic l scheme Of control are under way, but Uf course, cannot be fully worked out until congress passes the army bill. The formation of local organizations need not be discouraged in the mean
 time, for if their leaders will get in
 touch with us, the organization can immediately be utilized as soon as the time comes when a harmonious move ] ment can be begun
 Approving the plan and giving the attitude of the war department toward volunteer congratulations in general. Secretary Baker said:
 The administration bill provides for
 recruiting the regular army to it's full strength through volunteers. If it be- comes lawful 1 think the first effort
 Of patriotic organizations of citizens
 might well be developed to stimulating such recruiting
 Tn providing for future increements
 to the army from men between 19 and i p years old, we are not unheedful of | the great mass of patriotic men above | the age of 25, nor of the women who are eager to serve the country in it's | emergency Use may be found for
 many of them. As a military reserve 1 an organization of men not immediate
 ly needed, pledged to answer any call
 to service. will prove of great moral
 value, even if, as is to be hoped, nc | emergency ever makes their actual call | to arms a necessity.
 | The national committee of patriotic and defense societies are formulating with my hearty approval, plans to uni | fy and encourage these many volunteer | efforts. l would suggest to all engaged
 in or contemplating the formation of 1 volunteer organizations for national
 service that it would simplify the
 problem of this department if they
 would cooperate with the national committee of patriotic and defense so- | cieties in finding a way for those whc wish to pledge their services to the
 country to organize themselves so that 1 they can present their offer in the
 manner most likely to be available and | of real help to the government" l William Mather Lewis, Washington
 D. C., is executive secretary of the | r,ittaa