The Colorado statesman., 1917-05-19
HOW THE GREAT ARMY WILL BE
RAISED BY SELEcTIVE
CONSUMPTION.
QUICK CENSUS TO BE TAKEN
Good Physical Condition and Lack Of
Dependent Relatives the Prime
Requisltes-First Half Million Will
Constitute Finest of Armies.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

ceived by war department officials and
by members of congress asking in eff
feet that question.
1t is to the credit of young America
that the vast majority of the letters
Of inquiry received from men Of mill
tary age have as their inspiration
desire to serve. There have been
very faw letters of inquiry showing
any desire on the part of the writer's
to escape service If possible.
The United States government not
only will take n quick census of the
men subject to the provisions of the
| Legislation, but one of the men who
are likely to be ordered to the colors
when, 1t is necessary to raise another
army. The young men will go first
and then 1t may be that older men
will be called upon, but the estimates
are that two armies of 100000 men
can be raised without extending the
age limits and without depicting the
ranks of those whose services in agri-
culture or in the factories are abso-
utely essential, not only to the we'll
being of the forces in the field but to
that of the people at home.
The Chief Requisites.
The prime thing necessary for serv-
ice is good physical condition. 1t
must not be supposed from this that
young men who temporarily are lit
tie run down can expect to be released
from service. There is nothing so up
building as open air exercise with good
food and regular hours.
After the physical condition of the
men has been determined and per-
haps even before inquiry will disclose
whether or not they have persons de-
pendent upon them for support. 1t is
not the desire of the government to
send men into the army If relatives are
to become dependent upon the govern
ment for their livelihood because of
the removal of their livelihood's prop.
good deal has been said about
a "conscript army" The new army
will be conscripted, but the sting of
conscription, if there be any such, will
be removed Nearly every French sol
dier ut the front today is a conscript
There are few Frenchmen who, way
| beyond the age limit, succeeded in in
| ducing the authorities to accept their
services because they could show that
despite their age they were as phys
ically capable as some of the much
younger ones in the ranks.
There Is another thing which will.
in large measure do away with "con-
scription" criticism. The government
\ wants for its first army men who
have the volunteer spirit. 1t will not
no ,t,i, 81. a
ton to be made between the willing
and the unwilling. 1t is not to be
| taken for granted. however. that the
unwilling ones will say that they are
unwilling except in some pronounced
cases and in the cases of the arrant
| towards.
The men with the real volunteer
| spirit, the heart desire to serve their
| country, army men think will make
the thing so manifest that the shin
| ing spirit will compel attention to
| them, and the recruiting officers, or
conscription officers, If you wish so to
call them, being human and willing to
| go against the point of least resist
ance, unquestionably will give ardent
| youth the first chance.
1t is known that army officers be-
lieve the first 100000 Americans to
be called to the colors will constitute
the finest army physically and mental
| ly ever called to the country's stand
ards. The United States has a con-
tinental population of nearly 100000
900 people. To get from this huge
number 100000 stalwart youngsters is
a comparatively easy task. 1t Is
| thought that in the ranks of the first
100000 there will be probably 100000
men who have seen some kind of mill
tary training. 1t is also thought that
among them will be thousands upon
thousands who have had physical
training in outdoor and indoor ath-
letics.
Training in New Methods
In congress the opposition to the
raising of an army on the universal
liability to service plan gave no heed
to anything except the main point in
contention. Army officers do not say
1t out loud. but ii is known they hold
that the opponents of seectlve con-
scription cannot see beyond the rear
line of trenches In the homeland
preparation camp.
Lieutenant General Bridges of the
British forces has said plainly that the
best of England's youth. the men who
have made good officers, volunteered
at the outset of the war and bore the
brunt of the fighting following the bat
tie of the Marne, and suffered terrible
casualties. The result was that the
officer-making material was sadly de-
pleted and when 1t came to raising
other armies the men were lacking for
instruction and for leading purposes.
American army authorities from the