The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-02
DRAFTING
MACHINERY OILED
| fcnntinuad from Page IL

machine authorized by congress, Bak
| er said. ,
AS far as possible every effort vii
be made to preserve the ldentlty o.
the national guard. in the building uf
of the great army-to-be, Baker cou
tinued. in outlining roughly the plans
for enforcement of the selectiVe con
scription plan.
The sessions today marked the
first real step of organized co-opera
ton between the states and the red
| eral government in the matter or ma
ttonal defense Baker urged as the
first step to be taken by the states
to make the first nation wide con-
scription registration day "a great ma
tionaI demonstration of patriotism
and firmness of purpose" Baker did
not mention specifically the matter OF
military cooperation, but he plainly
limited that this important matter
is still unsettled and would be subject
to change.
Make registration day national
festival occasion" said Baker. Ihe
exact form of our cooperation on the
other side is difficult to determine and
when determined is subject to change
'But we do know that the word
needs food and one OF the ways 10
win the war is unlimited production.
Under modern conditions the whole
nation is at war-as much at war IN
the home as at the front"
Outlining the machinery for rails
ing the new army, Secretary Baker
said:
'As soon as the bill becomes law
the president will probably set a day
by proclamation for registration
throughout the nation. The men will
go to their usual polling place and
register.
GAS far as possible the election
systems of the townships, villages
and counties will be used. In an en-
terprise of such magnitude there is
bound to be some confusion, but after
the first class is properly registered
and assorted, we can call successive
levies with little difficulty.
with your cooperation we can
make the polling place on that day
an altar of free institutions"
Secretary of the Navy Daniels also
spoke to the council representatives.
Secretary of Interior Lane, Secretary
of Commerce Redfield, General High
L. Scott, chief of staff, and other Of
ficials of the general staff, were pres
ent at the meeting,
Secretary of Interior Lane warned
the governors that the war is likely to
be long.
"And it will be fought on this side
of the Atlantic" he continued, unless
We beat the Germans to it. Our ship
yards must speed up, and surely we
can speed up to supply the tonnage
needed to bridge the three thousand
miles between US and Europe"
Lane advised that the nation lay it's
plans and prepare its resources for
more than one year struggle. In this
connection he pointed to a report of
C. Hoover, of the Belgian re-
lief commission showing that Germany
still has two years supplies-plenty of
coal and iron and 100000 cattle
wherewith to feed her fighting men.
By way Of preparedness Lane suggest
ed that community effort be put forth
and he showed that the government is
trying for greater productiveness on
projects. He said the ma
ton would be Inundated if it tried to
fight only through the medium of loans
to the allies.
The council representatives will be
received by President Wilson this
after which they will go
into session with the council Of ma
tional defense. Secretary Of Labor
Wilson and President Pierson- Of the
Iowa state agricultural college, will
talk to the body on labor and food
problems.