The Coconino sun., 1917-05-04
ARIZONA FIRST STATE
 ID HAVE DRAFT STATUTE

Interesting features of the organ ization of the regiments of troops un- der the laws that will be enforced as soon as the immense army that has been planned for the present war be- gins to assume shape are called to mind by those who are familiar with the military of the state of Arizona. Arizona was the first state to embody in its code the idea of reserve bat talion. Under this plan battalion of six hundred men, in federal service and paid by the United States will be continually on duty in the state, kept filled to complete strength under the provisions of the draft law. This plan was taken bodily from the Arizona | code and made the military law of the United States in 1916.
 From the reserve battalion the bat talions of 600 or more men each that form the first line on duty at the front will be kept at war strength. The ad- | vantage of the plan is obvious. Ari- zona men go into the Arizona regiment trained for service. They do not join the regiment in the field green, except as to the matter of serv- ing under fire. The regiment is al- ways kept at war strength by the trained material forwarded from the reserve camp, and the protection af- forded by a force of we'll organized troops of 600 men at home is always present as safe guard.
 Another interesting item is that the draft provided by the bill now under consideration is almost identical with the Arizona law passed more than five years ago, several years before the army experts were talking universal service as an adequate means of mili- tary protection for the state and na- tion. Arizona has led the van again, and this time in field that has al- ways been supposed to have been full ly covered and pre-empted by the general staff of the army at Washing ton, and the military experts of the country, who are not remotely re- moved from the center of activities.
 Still further interest centers around the provisions of the draft bill. Asso- ciated Press dispatches describe the need of the new army in officers, and non-commissioned officers as between 15O,OO0 and 100000, who will have to be chosen from the regiments of the regulars and national guards now in the service. Here canes the real req son why young men in Arizona should volunteer for service with the First Arizona Infantry now. Details for training for the officering of the new force will be chosen from the Arizona regiment just as from the other regi- ments and the volunteer has the bet ter chance to go right ahead instead of staying private as the vast ma jority of the men drafted will have to do.
 Adjutant General Harris received instructions from the bureau of mili- tia affairs at Washington concerning the details of officers of the national guard, and men also, who will attend these training camps. The telegram reads:
 Instructions being prepared relative attendance membefs national guard at training camps will be mailed in ample time. Hold all inquiries pend- ing receipt.
 MANN,
 Chief Militia Bureau. Military authorities of the state are responsible for the statement that the draft will take nearly every young man of military age available within the state, to fill the quota from Ari- zona. This being true, the advantage clearly is with the young man who of- fers himself now, rather than with the one who waits for the military authorities to come and get him. There need not be any fear that any of the available military material will be missed if the draft begins. The draft is like fine net, it gets them all, and attempts to evade it's prov isions are generally dealth with sum- marily, especially in war time, and this is.war time, war time of the most serious era that America has ever been in.-Phoenix Republican.