The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-05-01

~ ~ n = :
w Bill providing for transcription
by "selective draft. official
Circles In Honolulu feel that the coun-
try has at last reached q solid basis Of
operations from which 20 work to-
wards its war task The passage Of
the bill undoubtedly came as a great
relief TO military officials here and au.
thoritative opinion has been solicited
BY The Advertiser as to the mechanism
Of preparation as IL relates 20 Hawaii
In particular.
II now seems clear, and Il can be as
serted on reliable authority, that Ha-
wall will not be called upon for draft
II appears that the state troops now
in service throughout the Union will be
counted as part of the quota which
each state and Territory win be requir-
ed TO furnish to the "national army"
The latter term is ueed adyisedly ow.
ing to the proposed army's general
composition, as il win exist for the
term Of the war only.
run Quota Enlisted
The present actual enlisted strength
Of the Hawaiian units Of the National
0unrd Of the United States would equal
the quota to be furnished by this Terri
tory for an army Of two million men.
q loss Of fifty per cent within the i'm
mediate future as result Of discharges
based upon exemptions and physical
disability, il will have still left an en-
listed strength equal 70 the quota Of an
army Of one million men.
Il might be safely predicted there
fore that the Territory Of Hawaii has
enlisted in its territorial forces num-
Der Of men partially trained equal to
the largest quota for which 1t is liable
to be called upon for the first mere
ment. There is probably no other
State or Territory in the Union Of
which this can be said.
The basis for this calculation is as
follows; Assuming that in round fig
ures the population Of the United
States Is a hundred million souls, a
draft Of ten men per thousand of popu.
iation win raise an army Of one mill
lion. 3s5 ~
With An approximate population Of
e25,000 Hawaii would therefore be
called upon for quota Of 2260 men.
The present enlisted strength Of the
national guard is In the neighborhood
Of 1900 men. II the territorial forces
were raised 10 their prescribed war
strength they would number between
eight and nine thousand men, or four
times the required number.
Whatever methods are adopted, the
results, Il is locally belieyed, viii be
much the same.
With this much fairly certain, future
action regarding the Hawaiian guard
can only be specialized upon. whether
one regiment Of the guard Is mobilized,
OF drifts made from each Of the four
regiments TO make up the required
strength, or whether the entire force
less lis deductions Of exempted classes,
win be summoned to the field, Is some
thing upon which one man 5 guess is
as good as another's.
Mobilization This Week
One thing seems fairly certain:
The mobilization Of the Hawaiian
guard OF whatever part Of IL Is called
out, win take place this week. Section
two of the bill just passed provides
for the drafting into the field service
Of the "full strength of the national
guard and the national guard reserve. -
From the broader national stand
point this bill is one of the most
momentous pieces of legislation ever
passed by this country when facing
war, inasmuch as for the first time
grim facts are faced with as grim q
determination to meet them as such,
with a casting out of the hysterieal
note which trips up efficiency, and the
sober mobilization Of all resources Of
this country. tFs
The great power Of the United States
can just be realized under these eondi-
nd ma - H.. -
ton Is now coming home to citizens
here.
An authoritative opinion was yester.
day expressed that the difference in the
maximum age limit as set BY the senate
(27) and that set by the house (40)
would be compromised to a maximum
age for seleetive draft in the neighbor-
hood Of thirty years. This would place
between six and seven million lighting
men at the call Of the President, and
upon this number the call for draft
Of n half million would not fall heavily.
The national program is expected
here, 10 commence with the Immediate
mobilization of national guard units
not now in the service Of the United
States. Upon this being effected they
will be raised TO full war strength
winch Will Dfihk the army OF tuc
United States, without the addition Of
further units, to strength Of approx
mately 10000 men.
The expected presidential call for
600 900 volunteers has reference TO this
recruiting Of the regular services TO war
strength. For this purpose the age
limit is raised to forty years, but the
same conditions and qualifications as
apply 70 the drafts relate here. Volun-
feers may be assigned TO any Of the
federal forces except those raised ex-
elusiVely by draft
Following this will come the selec-
tive dtafts in two sets Of half a mid
lion men apiece, with additional drafts
for the necessary auxiliary services
which assist the forces in the field.
Terms Of the Law
The bill now. awaiting conference for
~ final passage has the following pro.
visions, greatly summarized.
l. Immediate expansion regular army.