The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-05-24
A PROCLAMATION
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

shall not have attained their thirtyrst birthday on or
before the day here named required to register
excepting only officers and enlisted men of the Regular
Army the Navy, the Marine Corps and the National
Guard and Naval Militia while in the service of the
United States, and officers in the Officers Reserve
Corps and enlisted men in the Enlisted Reserve Corps
while in active service In the Territories of Alaska
Hawaii and Porto Rico day for registration will be
named in a later proclamation.
And dc. charge those who through sickness shall
be unable to present themselves for registration that
they apply before the day of registration the
county clerk of the county where they may be for
structions to how they may be registered by agent
Those who expect to be absent the day named from
the counties in which they have their permanent homes
may register by mall but their mailed registration
cards must reach the places in which they have per-
manent homes by the day named herein. They should
apply practicable to the county clerk of the
county wherein they may be for instructions how
they may accomplish their registration by mail. In
such persons through sickness absence may
be unable to present themselves personally for regstra
ton shall be sojournng in cities of thirty thous-
and population they shall apply the city clerk of the
city wherein they may be sojourning rather than to
the clerk of the county The clerks of counties and of
cities of thirty thousand population in which
applications from the sick and from nonresidents
expected authorized to establish such sub
agencies and to employ and depuze such clerical force
be necessary to accommodate these applications
The power against which we arrayed has sought
impose its will upon the world by force To this end
it has increased armament until it has changed the face
of war. In the sense in which we have been wont to
think of armies there armies in this struggle
There are entire nations armed. Thus, the men who
remain to till the soil and the factories less
part of the army that is France than the men beneath
the battle flags 1t must be so with US. 1t is not an
army that we must shape and train for war; it Is a ma
ton. To this end people must draw close in one
compact front against foe. But this can
not be if each man pursues a private purpose All
must pursue purpose. The Nation needs all men;
but it needs each man. not in the field that will most
pleasure him, but in the endeavor that will best serve
the common good Thus though sharpshooter pleases
to operate trphammer for the forging of great guns
and an expert machinist desires to march with the
flag, the Nation is being served only when the sharp
shooter marches and the machns remains at his levers
The whole Nation must be team in which each man
shall play the part for which he is best fitted To this
end Congress has provided that the Nation shall be
organized for war by selection and that each man shall
be classified for service in the place to which it shall
best serve the general good to call him.
The significance of this not be overstated 1t is
new thing in our history and landmark in our pro-
gress. 1t is new manner of accepting and vitazing
our duty to give ourselves with thoughtful devotion to
Iie purpose Oh US all II Is IN no sense
scrpton of the unwilling; it is, rather selection from
q nation which has volunteered in mass. 1t is no more
a choosing of those who shall march with the colors
than is selection of those no shall serve an equally
necessary and devoted purpose in the industries that
lie behind the battle line.
The day here named is the time upon which all shall
present themselves for assignment to their tasks 1t
is for that destined to be remembered as one of
the most conspicuous moments in our history 1t is
nothing less than the day upon which the manhood of
the country shall step forward in solid rank in de-
Tense of the ideals to which this Nation is consecraed
1t is important to those ideals less than to the pride
of this generation in manfestng its devotion to them
that there be no gaps in the ranks.
1t is essential that the day be approached in Thought
fu apprehension of Its significance and that we accord
to it in the honor and the meaning that it deserves
Our industrial need prescribes that it be not made
technical holiday but the stern sacrifice that is before
urges that be carried in all hearts as great
day of patriotic devotion and obligation when the duty
shall lie upon every man. whether he is himself to he
registered not to to it that the name of eyerv
male of the designated ages written on these
lists of honor.
In WITNESS WHEREOF, | have hereunto set nv hand
and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed
Done at he city of Washington this eighteenth day
of May in the year of Lord one thousand nine hun
dred and seventeen and of the independence of the
United States of America the hundred and forty
first,
WOODROW WILSON.
By the President:
ROBERT LANSING,
Secretary Of State.