Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-05-19
THE sELECTIvE DRAFT.

The selectiye draft Dill, al1ei
months battle in Congress, has been
adopted at last and signed by tne
President. 1t is now a law OF ttle
land. June fifth has been fixed upon
as registration day, and should any
state fail to furnish its quota Oh
soldiers a draft will follow.
It has been stated that Alexan
dria might be compelled to furnish
between 65 and 70 men by this pro-
cess should voluntary enlistments
show no appreciate increase. 1t IS
exnected, however, before ACTUAL
drawings take place that many VIII
not take the risk Of being drawn and
nrefer to volunteer for service for
their country.
Many years have elapsed since a
registration took place in Alexar-
dria. During the early part OF 1862
when large bounties failed to Dring
the required number of men into the
federal army, registration of males
between the ages Of IS and 40 took
place in Alexandria. The collapse
of the Southern Confederacy occurred
? few weeks later, which brought the
proceedings to standstlll.
Over half century has followed
since federal officials knocked 4 at
our doors and demanded the names
of those eligible for soldiers. During
al, this time thoughtful people OF
the United States have expressed
their thanks to heaven that our coun-
trv has been at peace with all the
world. We kept the olive branch IN
our right hand and were not prone
to show the arrows in our left. The
time has come, however, when moth
ing but the barbed shafts can save
us from foreign oppression. Diplo-
macy has been exhausted in attempts
to keep at peace with cruel, unrea-
sonable autocra:y, and if we desire
to maintain our liberty and sorer-
eighty we must fight for them, as
did the forefathe,s in JIG.
While the necessity for drafting
may be deplored by some, it is doubt
less the most equitable mode in which
to deal with the issue. And while it
may be against the religious and
conscientious scruples of many to see
young men march to the colors, it
should not be forgotten that every
thing will be done decently and in
order. In some countries there is 10
registration when men are needed
for the army. Governmental agents
enter houses and take boys from the
supper table in the presence Of their
fathers and mothers. The greater
number never return. There will be
no press gang methods in evidence
in America.
Germany is believed to be in her
last throes. 1t was necessary few
days ago to adjourn the keichstag
in order to prevent trouble between
representatives of the people, who de-
nand that the war be brought to a
close and the Hohenzollcrs and the
iunta, who long ago realized that
they have failed in their purpose OF
subjugating the civilized world.
Chancellor Won Bethmann-Hollweg Is
now ''between the devil and the deep
sea- not knowing what to do IN the
greatest peril his country has ever
encountered.
After all. the term of real war
service may be brief. Many who Will
be conscripted may never see Europe,
while the government assures all that
as soon as the war shall have been
brought to a close the men will be
discharged and returned to their
civil life.
Registration day for our new army
should be made national holiday. a
day of honor and rejoicing. 1t MARKS
our voluntary adoption of the prln-
cirle that patriotism is a duty as
well as sentiment and that coun-
try which is worth living in is worth
defending and dying for. Let US
make It a red-lettef day in the his
tory OF the republic, day which will
commemorate the fact that we have
sternly determined that government
of the people, by. the people and for
the people shall not perish from the
e9rth through, the weakness of gen
eration unprepared to guard what
their fathers won.
<-- 1870