The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-05-07
VAST HOME ARMY, PLAN; GREAT
NATIONAL SERVICE RESERVE
no BE COMPOSED OF MEN
OUTSIDE DRAFT LINZ
ITS AND WOMEN

lIo AND WUMEN
Washington, May 3-Plans for a
great national service reserve made
up of men not subject to draft into
the army and of women, already APP
proved by the War Department, were
submitted to the Council Of National
Defense today at a conference OF the
| council with state governors and rep
resentatives of state defense councils
Members of the reserve would be
available for any service they could
perform for the government.
The plans were presented by George
Wharton Pepper, representative of
the Pennsylvania State Defense Coun-
ell and chairman OF National COM
mittee of patriotic and defense So
cieties.
The reserve would be headed by a
board of nine nationally known men,
which would operate through a ma
tional committee of members from
all the states. Under the national
committee there would be state and
district committees and in Washing
ton a permanent headquarters com
mittce would carry on administrative
work.
Taft Heads Membership
Membership on the board of nine
nas been tentatively accepted, ii was
stated, by former President Tart,
Major General George w. Cocktails
and Henry l.. Stimson, former Secre-
tary OF War.
The purpose of the organization,
as outlined to the Defense Council,
would be to furnish any military or
civic service which could not be per-
formed by. enlisted men, to aid in re-
cruiting, to work under any private
employer engaged on government con-
tracts or on farms and to supply
the army and navy When not in ac-
tive service, reserve members could
aid in home defense. They would be
given compensation for the time spent
in government service.
The Defense Council today gave the
governors and state representatives
an outline of program for state as
sistance to the federal government in
the conduct of the war. They were
told that state defense councils can
edu cate the people to the magnitude
of the task ahead; aid in recruiting
the national guard; assist in carrying
out the enrolment for the new army
and in determining exemptions from
draft; maintain labor standards; es-
tablish labor clearing houses; assist
in getting workers to use their
broken time" on the farm; assist in
getting idle men and boys to the
farm; afford facilities in aiding the
government to collect revenues help
float the Liberty loan; organize CEN
trail food production committees to
wo k with the state defense coun-
cils; supply their own food require
melts wherever possible; and reduce
waite in the home.
Older Men For Offices
The state councils were asked to in
dUre older and more responsible men
to enter military training camps, as
men going to the first camps probably
will be advanced in grades in the
near future.
Members of the federal councils
organization outlined at length. to the
governors steps the government is
taking to put the country in state
of preparedness. Daniel Willard,
chairman of the committee on trans
portation, described the work of the
general railroad board which is now
operating the countrys railroad lines
as one continental system. Howard
Coffin, chairman, of the committee on
munitions, told of efforts to find ia
cilities for an adequate supply of
guns and ammunition.
Director Clifford of the Council and
George c. Porter, who heads the di-
vision on state organizations, out
lined the Councils organization. DR..
Anna Howard Shaw, chairman of the
Woman's Defense Committee, told
what woman hoped to do in the war.
Business Men Praised
The Councils munition board, Di-
rector Clifford said, is doing the work
OF a government department and In
effect is ministry of munitions.
Every order for the army or navy Is
advised by this board before ap-
proved by the Department. A CON-
mercial economy board Is studying
carriage systems in the hope that II
will be able to eliminate Implications
Of effort. A coal committee Is taking
up the entire question of the fuel
supply.