The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-28
TIE WATCHMAN AND SOUTHROFr NOVEMBER "a 1917

be sept before medical advisory
board reasonably convenient to each
local board and composed Of about
seven specialists who will conduct an
exhaustive reeXamination, of the re-
suits OF which there need be little
doubt. There is also TO be established
IN each locality, q legal advisory board |
comprising practically all the lawyers |
in the community, and this society is
to furnish without compensation ali |
Information and advice that regis |
trants may require. Local boards
should refer all requests for informa-
ton and for assistance in preparing
ducstionnaires to these associations.
This /, hope, will relieve one of the
most tedious functions of the mem
bers OF the boards.
| have consulted considerable
number of members Of selection
boards who advised me in the prepa-
ration of the new regulations 1t is
! the estimate of all Of them that the
present method will reduce the work
Of members of boards by 20 per cent.
In this state of affairs.> it is hoped that
members Of boards can attend to this
most important duty without making
too great an nroad upon the time
necessary for them to attend their re-
spectve callings.
AS ] have said. the Selective Ser
vice system is an integral and neces-
sary part Of this government, and
YOU, as members of it, are as essen
tial in the places to which it has bes;
served the common good to call upon
you as are the soldiers whom you have
sent to camp. You are, in effect,
pert Of the army of the United States
in that you are the sources of its
supply The nation is rapidly becom-
ing a great system, and if this part
Of it were disturbed now it is not too
much to say that that system would
he shattered so effectively that it would
take weeks. if not months, to repair
the damage. That, / think, IS too
clear to require further exposition.
But there is further thought that
has not yet been emphasized
We, as n nation, have learned much
i'm tho last few months. We have, i'm
the words of the president, drawn
close in one compact front against q
common foe" and we have, found our
selves. We have learned the sacrifice
that Must be made to make our nation
safe from aggression. The duty OF
citizenship has taken on new light
fer all of us and there has been no
hesitation among our people in per-
forming that duty. Whether Ger
many has taught us or whether we
have learned it ourselves, we know
one thing SO clearly and so we'll that
we VIII never again have doubt Of It.
The volunteer method of raising an
army for war is gone. 1t will never
return. The principle of selection has
been tried and proved by our people
am led to believe that, they approve
it with substantial unanimity If it is
good for this time of peril, it is good
for all future emergencies. The won
der is that n people so devoted to
business efficiency should have hest
t&ted 10 adopt it. 1t is of the essence
OF democracy and national effective
ness. The present method for it's en-
! preston integrates with our political
s, stem so perfectly, responds so
smoothly and so well to our dual form
of state and national control that il
would be calamitous to have it inn
Raired. The principle of selection l.
established. The system for selec-
ton improved as we can improve it
must become and remain permanent
! part of our governmental system for
war. 1t is a link which binds closer
our Union of States and our result
! ing general government IT is for this
reason that | say that we are stand
! ing not at the portals of q past but
rather at the threshold of a future.
T.. II CrOwder.