The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-04-13
MisSOuri's
War Strength

JEFFERSON OlCy, MO-, April l.-ESCl-
nations made by the Bureau of La
Dor Statistics on the population of
Missouri, January l, 1917, which then
was 3,420,147 men, women and chill
dren, and using the same basis that
the Federal authorities did in reach
ing this approximation, Missouri has
present war strength of 750,012 men
between the ages of IS and 45 years.
The estimation includes all males in
the State, barring neither creed, race,
color nor nationality, and the unfit,
states bulletin issued today by La
Dor Commissioner William H. Lewis.
The further announcement is made
that of whites alone, between IS and
as years, there are 706,477 in the
State. The negro population, avail
able for military service, is 43,099,
fit and unfit, between the ages men
| toned. There are also 436 Indians,
Japanese and Chinese.
1t is also estimated in the military
bulletin of the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics that the State of Missouri now
has 973,062 voters, the classification
including all men over Fl years, rang
ing up to the oldest in Missouri, but
not all these exercised free holders
privilege of voting at the November
election since only total of 786,769
votes were then cast in Missouri for
the various presidential nominees,
leaving 1928 men either native
born, naturalized, or holding first pa
pers, who did not take advantage of
this great American privilege. If it
becomes necessary to draw on the
last man in the State, regardless of
age and fitness for service, everyone
of the 973,062 voters can be called
out for service in some form or other.
The eligible negro population of the
State alone is sufficient to easily and
fully form thirty-five regiments of
infantry, with some left over for am
bulance and hospital service. Of
whites alone $50 regiments can be
mustered in and still there would be
enough individuals between the ages
of IS and as years left over for spe-
cial but not hazardous service.
If it is necessary to muster in wo-
men, including all active suffragettes,
the military strength of Missouri |
doubles since there are, approximate
State between the ages of 1S and 45.
Missouri alone can send to the front |
enough nurses to supply all needed
for hospital and similar duties, if the
threatened conflict comes to pass, this
statement being based on the enthu-
siasm displayed recently by Missou-
ri women in behalf of the Red Cross
movement.
High explosive manufacturing
plants in Rails, Jasper and Jackson
counties can easily supply all the
powder and gun cotton needed by the
vast army Missouri can send into the
field and ammunition plants in st.
Louis, Moberly, Kansas City, ST. Jo-
seph Joplin and other Missouri towns
would supply sufficient shells, car
tridges and similar war material. The
only army supplies Missouri is not
prepared, at the present moment, to
furnish on huge scale are rifles and
field and siege guns but even this de-
feet can quickly be remedied, owing
to the existence of large steel forg-
ing and rolling plants in st. Louis and
elsewhere to which alterations and adj
ditions can be made so that they
would supply everything in the lines
indicated. The $500 miles of rail
roads in Missouri, the large number
of automobiles its inhabitants own
and several thousand miles of nava-
gable rivers provide the means of mo-
bilizing all of the States military
forces at st. Louis in short order.
Another fact probably worth know
ing is that Missouri has about 1885,
900 automobiles, auto trucks and
similar vehicles within it's boundaries
with probably four-ffths of the same
available for military service in case
they were to be Communicated, enough
to mount every soldier Missouri can
supply for active service, leaving suf- 5
ficient over for other branches of mil
ltary requirements. In Jackson coun-
ty, near Kansas City, is a huge pc
troleum refining plant which can fur
nish all the gasoline and other sup
plies needed for motive and similar
purposes. There were also 100000
head of horses and mules in Missou-
ri on January l, 1917, all ready for
either cavalry or other military SER
vices. Such are the 1917 resources
and advantages Of Missouri.