Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-06-09

EVENTS OF THE WEEK
The great event of the week in the United States
was the registration of it's young men to provide a basis
for the selection of those needed for military service.
June 5 was the day set apart by proclamation by the
president for this purpose, and at every polling place IN
the land those of proper age presented themselves for
enrolment. So far as the immediate act Of registration
was concerned it was compulsory. The orders of the
government had been issued, and it was necessary that
they should be 'obeyed. In the larger sense it was a
volunteer movement, for the whole people of the nation,
acting through their representatives, had decreed that
at the outset of this war our selection of the men re-
CURED for military service should be placed on a basis
never before used here save when the pressure of actual
war continued for a considerable time had brought the
country face to face with an emergency.
. =
In this case, right at the outset Of this war, it had
been decreed that the entire male population Of the
country between the ages of 81 and 81 should constitute
a body from which should be drawn, without reference
to personal choice, and without distinction of race, creed,
occupation or station in life. those who should serve in
the new army which is to be created for the purpose
of enabling the nation to perform its part in the strug-
gle upon which we have entered. Hence it was fitting
that. on registration day. there should be patriotic dem
onstrations, and these were held all over the land. These
gatherings served as ratification meetings, meetings at
which the people acting spontaneously. testified to the
earnest purpose with which they have entered into this
war.
The returns from the registration are not all in. and
will not be for some time. The indications are. however,
that the total will fall somewhat below the estimate of
the government officials. This estimate placed the num-
Der of registrants at about ten million. Apparently the
number will fall a million or SO below that figure. IN
advertence and misunderstanding caused a considerable
number to fail 70 register. and these errors, where they
were innocent ones. are now being corrected. The dis
crepancy between the estimated number of ,registrants
and what now seem likely to be the real hguresr appear
to be due, not to failure of individuals to register. but.
to the fact that there are fewer persons of military age
in the country than had been supposed.
/. = =
Perhaps the most significant thing about the regis
tration was the utter failure of all the attempts that
had been made to make registration a demonstration
of the incapacity of the government of the United States.
Vigorous effort toward this end had been made by
seditious bodies and reasonable individuals. The gov
eminent had made its plans and issued its orders, and
these enemies of society had undertaken to show that the
spirit of anarchy had taken sufficient hold on the Amer
lean people to induce defiance of the law by such {. large
individuals that the enforcement of the law would be
hopeless. and the government Of the country would stand,
impotent and ridiculous, a thing to be scorned both at
home and abroad. The event was dsa ppointing to those
who entertained this hope. A few individuals here and
there refused to register. In a very few places there
were riotous demonstrations. These were unfortunate
in that in one way or another the news Of them will be
transmitted abroad, and the facts will be exaggerated.
Both our friends and our enemies will be nisled, the
former into a feeling Of disappointment at what will be
represented to them as threatening demonstrations Of
grave character. and the other into the cheering belief
that the United States in entering upon this war does so
only half-heartedly. The removal of that impression
will cost money, and it Will cost blood. But at home
those of us who are willing to learn have learned the
lesson that our government actually does stand for some-
thing, and that its authority is respected.
In other respects the week has passed with the var
ious agencies of government actively engaged in the
work of preparation. Revenue measures are being per-
fected. so that in addition to the funds now being raised
by the sale Of bonds. ample funds shall also be raised
by direct taxation. The work of food control is being
arranged under the direction Of Commissioner Hoover,
and every possible effort is being made by the govern
ment to insure the production Of the largest possible
quantity of food, and its distribution to the consumer
with the least waste and at the smallest possible margin
OF profit. No decision has been reached as to the fixing
of minimum prices for staples. but it is expected that.
some steps in this direction will be taken lin the near
future. There is not likely to be any fixing Of absolute
maximum prices, at least for some time. The most prob
able procedure will be the taking Of steps intended to
prevent the undue enhancement Of prices by specula-
ton. @
In no direction are the activities Of the government
likely to have a more marked effect than in connection
with the work Of railway distribution. The virtual
amalgamation Of all the railroads of the country into
one gigantic system has been accomplished without
change of ownership or change in actual management.
There has been placed in a supervisory relation to all.
the roads Q government agency whose duty It will be 10
acorrelats the work Of the roads. and to direct the work,
An such Q manner that the maximum 81 service viii be
given at the; inininaun cost. Under this direction orders
have been iS6ued. which will facilitate the moving Of Inn
gportant freight shipments in the most rapid manner pos
s1ables and In the elimination OF much passenger service
yhich hasS been decided to be unnscsssary.
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slxul1daen EEt1anscontinenta railroad after Its crossing Of
Paathcs The comnnission n expected TO reach Peto-5
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iikstS t1shHAl 9Gairs ~ the capital Al . more hopSful
eol1liasaa ywhsn; ii isft the UnitsA stasss. Il Il not
ae4sSsSfsH ~ stsonsfyson tbs oceastolais reports which
SEStsss1e4sxafr omna ahsss Rulstan seapitaIs for s~xpsrisnes
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