The Little River news. (Ashdown, Little River County, Ark.) 1897-current, 1917-05-26
TO MAKE JUNE )
STATE HOLIDAY
Important Statement by Arkansas
Council of DefenSe-lnStruc-
ti0ns for Registration
Day.

Little Rock, May 23.-The following
statement prepared by the Arkansas
State Council of Defense yesterday
afternoon contains information of the
greatest importance to every citizen of
Arkansas. Every newspaper in the
state is requested to print it in full,
every minister to read it before his
congregation, every teacher before
his school, and every citizen to assist
in giving it publicity
| Congress has passed law providing
that on June 5th every male citizen be-
tween the ages of u and 80 shall re-
Port to the polling place in the voting
precinct where he resides and there
register. Heavy penalties will be en-
forced upon those who fail to comply.
The object of this registration is not to
conscript all men between those two
ages for immediate service. 1t is eSti-
mated that there are ten million men
subject to registration. The Govern
ment know at once what man power it
has to depend upon and must have
means of ating and classifying these
men for the various kinds of service. 1t
must have have means of dscriminat-
ing so as to know, for example, what
men should be left in agricultural
work or other occupations, what men
men should be employed in munition
factories and ship yards, what men
should undertake military and naval
service.
In August or September five hundred
thousand men, or one in twenty of
those who register, will BE- called to t.
ing to make them affective soldiers.
Later on others will be called, the
number being determined by the dura
ton of the war and its magnitude.
The pesident of the United States
the Department of War, and the Gov
ernor of Arkansas, have asked that
registration day be made a National
Holiday, which may be conver,ed into
a magnificent demonstration of the
unity and patriotism of our country.
In speaking of registration day
President Wilson used these words:
1T is in no sense a conscription of
the unwilling: it is, rather, selection
in mass. 1t is no more choosing o.
those who shall march with the colors
than it is a selection of those who
shall serve as equally necessary and
devoted purpose in the industries that
lie behind the battle line
Speaking before the National De-
fense Conference recently, the Secre
tary of War said:
"All prejudice will lie gone, if, when
public and private buildings and bands
are parading the streets. and the peo-
pie of the cities and OF the countryside
are accompanying their sons and
bro5hers and husbands of suitable age
to the registration place in the feel
ing that here in America is the alter
of free institutions, and that every
man who is putting his name down in
making an acceptable sacrifice"
The Arkansas State Council of De-
fense urges all patriotic citizens and
organizations in Arkansas to make ar
rangements at once to hold in all the
cities, towns and voting precincts of
the state on June 5th public meetings
where patriotic programs will be given
Meetings may be held in churches,
school houses, or other Convenien0
places. The initiative may be taken by
any individual or organization. Time
and place may be fixed according to
local commence.
The program may consist of band
music, singing of National airs, flag
raising, reading OF declaration of in
dependence, reading of the President S
proclamation announcing the date of
registration and such other exercises
as may suggest themselves. Mosi inn
portant of all is an address, preferably
by citizen of the community or
county setting forth the origin Of the
war, and events that forced the United
States to enter it, and the objects for
which we are fighting. Every such ad-
dress should emphasize the necessity
of subscriptions to the Liberty loan. ,
There are thousands of persons In Ar
kansas who are perfectly able to buy
bond for fifty dollars or one hun
dred dollars or more who do not re-
alize the necessity Of helping to float
this leaa. The banks Of the State