Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-04-19
"Selectiye CONSUMPTION

s. President wilson's stand the vital question
Of staising The new army undoubtedly brings deep
satisfaction TO army men who have studied the
problem Of national enlistment. As the president
Atold the senator's Yesterday he will not comprom-
<-is6 he backs the Judgment OF the army experts,
and they are all against the volunteer system
What was said in these columns some days ago
regarding the trial TO be made of volunteering
with ultimate resort 10 the seectire draft. now
holds good. The call has gone out for volunteers
in the regular army and in the mihtia. But fhe
sspfesident Secretary Baker and the general staff
expecting no great results from the call foE voun-
teers have not been particularly disappointed and
are moving ahead with 'plaps for the P"selective
CONSUMPTION" = "@,.ss- ~. / ..s
Undoubtedly the American mind recoils from
the word 'conscription" 1t brings up to some of
the elder generation memories Of the draft riots of
Civil War days. with tthe glaring defects Of that
system laid bare; TO Others, il brings up a vision
OF recruiting squads under memorable sergeants
marching from house to house and halng men to-
tile colors as Belgian civilians are impressed into
lie service OF Germany from their families.
Nothing q, the sort iscontemplated No general
transcription Is proposed. "selectiye CONSUMPTION
means something quite different.
What the president favors appears to be along
The Derby plan which worked out successfully I'M
"
leaving at home until the last extremity those who
have dependent families or relatives.
First TO be called are those men who have mol
dependents The work and responsibility of rails
ing the new army are to be divided among the
states and among the classes of civilians, il re
ports from Washington are correct 1t is under
stood that the general staff plans propose to ex
empt, from the first call skilled workers in many
industries. These workers, however, will be part
of the Industrial force of the country which is to
be modified in national service. 1t is said that
skilled farmers are not TO be called at first the
government realizing that the problem of food
stuffs is one Of the most pressing before the gov
ernment.
Senator Chamberlain recently changed the min
imum age limit in his bill from 10 to 20 years and
! added . provision that the secretary of war shalr
divide the country into training divisions.
President Wilson is understood to have decided
definitely upon the following plan:
The first stepis TO recruit the regular army and
national guard up to war strength This is al
ready being tried under the call as published in |
the Honolulu newspapers last Friday and Saturt
day. The wsr.strength recruiting il entirely sue
cessfpl, will bring up our military forces indie
pendent OF any draft system to approximately
$4,000 men, making room for the absorption Of
half q million volunteers.
The present strength of the regular army isl
something Jess than 900 men and Of the guard
about 100000. ~
To raise the army Of two million which is nowi
talked Of more than ,250,0OO must be enlisted by |
s;selectiye conscription" after the regulars and
national guard organizations lave been recruited
mp to full war strength OF course it is possible
that call for volunteers in addition to the full
enlistment Of the present organizations might bel
made but there is little expectation that the VOL