Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-26
Errtttttg Gl1at

|
mental war mission in this country
mas been the means of stimulation
OF display of the flag of the king
dom all over Harrisburg and 1t is
now floating from almost as many
buildings as the tricolor of the
French republic. Owing to the closer
relationship between the British and
french governments and the United
States at the outset of American par
! tlclpation and to the fact that their
missions were the first to come to
lhis country their flags were more
freely displayed than those of any
country alongside of the Stars and =
Stripes. But now the Italian flag is
appearing all over the city. Some
OF the homes of Italian residents
| nave had the flag flying along side of
the Star Spangled Banner for weeks.
but the business houses did not get
the flags up until this week. But
they have ben making up for lost
time ever since. The display has i'm
mensely pleased the big Italian ele-
ment in. this city and vicinity and
the red, white and green will be as
much seen as the tricolor of France.
More British flags are commencing
to be shown more than ever here
abouts. For many years a British
nag has been a rarity in this city
and the sight of the Union Jack,
which a generation ago would have
called forth protests, is now COM
mon.
Speaking of flags it is interesting
10 see the displays on automobiles
Practlcally every motor vehicle
! n
vorite decoration is to have them
fore and aft. Some cars show the
American flag on top of the radiator
with the British and French flags
beside them. Occasionally the three
are grouped with the Stars and
Stripes in the center. In the last
few days some cars have been ap-
pearing with a half dozen or SO fiags.
all allied countries, set in a holder
ana making gay appearance as
they hutter along. 1t is an effective
decoration and has attracted much
comment. Wagons and locomotives,
too, are displaying the colors and
some of the yard engines of the
pennsylvania look like floats in an
industrial parade.
Adjutant General Thomas ].
= stewart, who gets about fifty in
l qulrles a day about the details of
j the registration, said last evening
that the simplest answer to the
: Whole series of Inquiries about regis
. tratlon under the selective draft act
was to tell any male between 21 and
80 years, inclusive, to go and reg
y lister. General Stewart pointed out
e that the act called upon everyone
e including even National Guardsmen
# who were not in Federal service at
e the time, to register. The govern
a ment VIII attend TO all the select
l, ing and naturally will handle all of
Il the exemptions. Persons who are
d not physically fit or who have de-
= pendents will be pretty quickly clear
/ ed from the lists.
If Thus far there has not been any
/ effort to dissuade men from regis
e terlng under the draft such as have
e Deen undertaken, according to re-
y ports. by some misguided persons in
IS Reading and elsewhere, and it is to
s. be hoped that there will not be
'. This city would not be a healthy
y place for any one to try 1t. Incl
n dentally it might be remarked that
d the brunt would fall upon any one
/ who would fail to respond. The law
t. makes 1t an offense punishable by
: fine and Imprisonment to fail to reg
o lister and as everyone in Harrisburg
n who can vote is listed on the reg
istration books with age and resi-
dence detection would be pretty surt
S. to follow any attempt to evade
y Agitators against registration should
If be reported to the police as 8
g patriotic duty.
e, One of the problems which a mar
'r connected with the registration
S: boards says will be encountered or
"a registration day will be to handle
l. the foreigners. This city has men OF
Sc every nationality in Europe and
E. some in America and quite a few OF
1T them are between the ages called
OF upon to register. Just how they are
lie all going to be correctly listed with.
pc out interpreters is what is botherine
l. registrars. No hanging back among
4 the foreign element is expected as
TO the bulk of the men who have come
TO here from foreign countries in the
last decade or two know what call
ly ing to the colors means and they
rs are pretty quick to catch the thought
Oh of the people in American communi.
r, ties. In all probability the organi.
n zation of the city for registration
v on the part of local committees will
le be so complete by the time the reg.
IN istration day rolls around that the
e. foremen of gangs in which there are
lie foreigners will have the men wear.
ing flags and waiting outside the
polling places when the books are
l open.
) II was glad to see that you sale
that the feeling among young mer
in Harrisburg was not about gettinl
out of registration for the draft bu
of seeing who could be first to ge
on the lists said a man familiar
with military affairs to-day. e
know that spirit is around town anC
unless / miss my guess there are go
ing to be some high old times around
the registration places on the morn
ing of Tuesday. June 5, because
look for a rivalry to lead the lists
This city has almost fifty districts
I wonder who are going to be th'
first flfty?"
State officials to-day called atten
ton to the fact that there will b,
but one registration day for con
scription. The impression seems t,
have gone out in this city that ther
will be two. There will be but on
say the men at the Capitol.