The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1917-05-10
INSTRUCTIONS AS TO DRAFT
Young Men Must Register on the
Day Designated.

|
lective draft law passed Saturday by
Congress. AS soon as a date for the
registration is named by the Presi-
dent, the sheriff will announce the
registration places in this county.
The following letter from Govern
or Capper explains the plans for en-
forcing the draft law:
"This office has been advised by
the Secretary of War that the follow
ing method is to be pursued in the
registration under the selective draft.
The sheriff, county clerk and county
physician are to constitute board
in each county to supervise the reg
istration and draft; the sheriff to be
the executive officer of the board;
the clerk the custodian of the rec
ords and secretary of the board; and
the county physician, who will make
the physical examinations at the prop
er time.
"This registration is to be made by
election precincts throughout the
country and the duty of your county
board is to appoint in each precinct
a board of three members to conduct
the registration; two of these should
be able to write good clear hand
and women Of voting age could be
used on the registration board.
"In naming the registration boards
in the precincts the Secretary of War
believes that you can find patriotic
people who will volunteer to act as
registration officials without COM
pensation. 1t will also be the duty
of your boards to designate suit
able place in each precinct for the
registration, such place to be tend
cred by its patriotic owner free Of
cost to the government.
! "You should take steps just as soon
as these places are designated to in
form the people of. their location,
either by posting notice or through
the local papers, or by both methods.
In townships having only one voting
precinct, if you think it practicable,
you might designate the members of
the township board as registration
officials. If there is more than one
precinct in the township it will be
necessary to make provisions for
a board in each precinct.
In all cities utilize the machinery of
the election commissioners office in
selecting your board for the pre-
cincts in your city.
"While it is assumed by the Sec
rotary Of War that all parties con-
cerned in carrying out this draft will
do so without question from patriotic
motives, it should be understood that |
heavy penalties are provided for fail
ure to do so. The Secretary of War
has also advised this office that the
necessary blanks will be sent direct
to the sheriff of each county as soon
as the President has signed the proc
lamation, which probably will be done
within the next two or three days.
"This is a preliminary letter for the
purpose Of giving you advance infor-
nation as to what will be expected of
us all, and it is sent so that you and
the county clerk and the county ply
stefan can hold a preliminary meet
ing and map out your work. hope
that you will call them into con-
ference at once. !
"Of course, nothing official can
be done until the President issues his
proclamation and you are further ad-
vised, but the information in this let
ter will enable you to have the mat
ter rounded up so that you can act
promptly when the time comes. The
registration must be made on one
certain specified day and the Secre-
tary of War states that it must be
within ten days after the proclama-
ton is issued, so you can see the ne
cessity of haste in formulating your
plans. All official instructions will
be sent you just as soon as they are
received by this office from Washing
ton.
"In the meantime it might be well
for you to get an item in all of your
county papers this week in regard to
the plan, so that the people will have
some advance information on the
subject. 1t also might be observed
that men enlisted prior to day of reg
istration in the National Guard, army,
navy, marine corps, etc., will be ex-
empted from the provisions of the
draft.
1.-THE good name of the state calls
for the whole hearted cooperation Of
every official Of the state in this plan