The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-16
TO REGISTER FOR SERVICE
BY Frederic j. Haskin. Director
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORMATION BUREAU
Washington, ID, c.


liable for military service is being
deluged with letters of inquiry. Most
of the inquirers want to know how to
go about registering; many OF them
are women who want exemptions Tor
husbands or sons upon whose support
they are dependent; while some per
sons are afraid that favoritism and
unfairness will affect the making of
these exemptions. One writer states
that he and several other prominent
citizens of his community have COM
piled a list of men who are of no value
whatever at home, but might be use
full at the front, and he requests that
the war department shall select these
men first.
1t takes all of the time of two Off
GERS to answer these inquiries, many
of which reveal a Misrepresentation of
both the letter and the spirit of the
selective service law. The govern
ment is almost entirely dependent
upon the press for the dissemination
of the necessary information about
this law. At the request of the de-
partment, therefore, the method to be
followed in the taking of this military
census is here set forth in full.
An important purpose of this reg
istration is to learn what the man
power of the United States is not only
for military service but for industry.
When it has been completed, the gov
eminent will know not only the pro-
portion of men in the country fit and
ready for service, but it will have in
formation as to those who are most
valuable for that purpose and those
whose services are required at home.
III,
counting of the nations manhood,
and as such it will be of inestimable
value for the nations defense.
For this reason it is the patriotic
duty of every state, county and indi-
vidual to make this accounting as full.
accurate and expeditions as possible.
Reports to the War Department show
that in ma ny of the states the patriotic
spirit of this great initial step in the
service of the country IS fully appre-
ciated. Ir many parts of the country
registration day is to be observed as
patriotic fete with barbecues, music
and parades.
The duty of the individual of mill
tary age is very simple. He merely
goes to the usual voting place in the
voting precinct which is his perma
nent home, and answers as directly
and simply as possible the questions
asked him by the registrar. These
cover name, address, age, date of birth
(Which should be written en- u piece
of paper ready to hand to the regis
trar); whether the individual is ma
tive, alien or naturalized; place of
birth; trade, occupation or office; by
whom employed and where; persons
wholly dependent upon him for a liv-
ing; whether married or single; race;
and what military service he has had
One who is absent from his home
precinct on registration day should
apply to the city or county clerk
Wherever he is, on the sixth day after
the Presidents proclamation fixing
the day for registration From the
clerk he will obtain registration cards,
which must be filled out and mailed to
the county or city clerk of his home
precinct sc that it will be there not
later than registration day. Persons
who are i'll or otherwise physically
unable to appear for registration will
send competent person to register
for them
So much for the duty of the indi-
VlduaL The machinery OF registra-
ton will be composed of state and
county officials working in co-opera-
ton with the War Department The
governor will be the chief of regis
trat1on in each state. The registra-
ton in each county will be in charge
OF board composed of the sheriff
the county clerk and the county phy-
slclan' unless the governor names a
d1fferent board. In cities containing
a population of more than 10000 the
mayor will have charge of registra-
ton, and will appoint a suita BILE board
The registrars will be appointed by
the boards in the ratio of one for ev
cry 80 persons to be registered. This
number will be computed from the
fact that the men of any given age
make up about one per cent of the
population, SO that if all men between
twenty-one and thirty, inclusive, are
to be registered, about 10 per cent of
the population will be their number
The services of competent persons
who volunteer to serve as registrars
without pay will be accepted All
registrars must be sworn.
This registration will be the first
step in selecting men for service The
second will be the drafting by lot of
names for the registration lists The
third step will consist in deciding
claims for exemption, and the physi-
cal fitness of persons selected.
The details of these subsequent
steps have not yet been worked out,
and will be announced later The
general method of making exemptions
has already been determined, how
ever, ana ample precautions have
been taken to see that this process is
absolutely fair, and that all fayorite-
| ism shall be eliminated.
The exemptions will probably be
made in each state by local exemption
| boards with appeals to boards of re-
view, SO that decisions made by the
local officials may be checked by the
higher authority. The board of re-
view will probably be composed of
men who are thoroly acquainted with
the industrial needs of the state, and
who will insure That business and in
dustry are not crippled. For exam
pie, prominent engineer, the state
superintendent of agriculture, or the
president of the state agricultural
! college, and a banker or business man
of known standing and integrity may
! be among the members.
| The penalties for failure to register
or otherwise attempting to evade serv-
| ice are Imprisonment, without any
! alternative of fine, and these penalties
| anrnlNr 1 Officials uhn cnr,r,i,-r "a s....l,