The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-06
MORE Than TEN
MILLION MEN
REGISTERED
First Military Census of the
United States Is Com
pleted
VIRTUALLY NO
DISORDERS
Work of Compiling Returns
Now In Progress in
Every State
(By Associated Press.l

Washington. June 6.-More than ter
million, young Americans enrolled yes
terday for war service. Registration
day, with but few weeks of prepara-
ton, saw the first military census ever
taken in the United States completed
without a single untoward event OF
consequence.
The manhood of the nation volun-
teered in mass, setting at naught all
the schemes and plottings of German
sympathizers and the few cranks who
have agitated against registration 1t
remains but to select the men who are
to go to the front
From virtually every state reassur-
ing messages came last night to Brig
Gen. Crowder, provost marshal gen.
eral, federal supervising officer. of the
great enterprise While no complete
returns were transmitted up to a late
hour, the governors were unanimous
in stating that complete quiet had pre-
vailed and that full registration was
indicated.
In some precincts the late corners
forced officials to keep the polls open
until long after the 8 p m. closing hour
set in the regulations. General Crowd
er authorized them to keep open as
long as men wished to enroll.
The early reports, showing a full
turnout all over the country, indicated
that the estimates of the census bu-
reau as to the number of men within
the specified age limits would be veri-
fled by the count Wherever partial
figures are available, the estimates
checked closely.
A typical message received was that
from Idaho: Registration will be 100
per cent" 1t said. Spontaneous and
without murmur or incident"
The situation was so clear and the
response so ready that governors of As
of the 4S states had sent similar assur-
ances long before registration had clos
ed and the other two were close on
their heels.
Refuse to Claim Exemption.
A feature of the registration was the
refusal of hundreds Of thousands of
men to make any reply to the question:
DO you claim exemption?' Even men
who reported that they had dependent
families; men with obvious physical
disabilities and those whose occupa-
lions are certain to keep them at home,
decline to make a claim Apparently
they have no claims to make but are
ready to do their share, whatever it
may be.
With the closing of each registration
precinct officials went at once to the
task Of sorting and classifying the
cards. There is much work to be done
in order that the brief synopsis which
each governor will make to General
Crowder of the registration in his state
may go forward promptly. 1t will take
some hours, in many cases. to do the
work and no figures for any state will
come to Washington until every pre-
cinct has reported.
There remain several supplementary
steps to be taken. Yesterdays registra-
ton included only continental United
States. Alaska and Hawaii will record
their fighting men on dates to be set
later and the roll of Americans now
abroad. who are besieging consulates
all around the world for registration
cards. will add to the great list
Chicago June cit was day of
peace and quiet, so far as opponents
of the CONSUMPTION law were concern
ed, and great display of patriotism
by the men who registered" said Hin
ton G. Clabaugh. chief of the bureau
of investigation.
Reports indicate that Chicago and
Sponded in a most patriotic manner"
was the statement Of Charles F. Clyne,
United States district attorney. THE
fine response to the provisions of the
law was due largely to the very eff
fective publicity given it by the press. =
Rumors of anti-registration demon
STATIONS in Chicago were not substan-
tiated and extensive precautions by
the police to maintain order were not
necessary. The only report of riot
received during the day turned out to
have been caused by the impotence OF
men to be registered. A waiting line
at one Of the polls became boisterous
and window was broken. Half a
dozen arrests were made of persons
suspected of melting young men to
evade the law. -Four OF these persons
were released.
Similar reports came from neighbor-
ing states.
The day passed without disturbance
in Minnesota and the registration was
so heavy in Minneapolis, st. Paul and
Duluth that requisition was made for
more blanks. In North Dakota there
was no opposition in evidence.