White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1917-05-11
MILITARY REGISTRATION UNDER
sELEcTIvE CONSUMPTION BILL
BY CIVIL AUTHORITIES.
PLAN OF WAR DEPARTMENT
Will Classify Millions of Men for Army
Duty-FederaI Government Will
Only Supervise Through Office
of Provost Marshall.


war department for the voluntary ser.
vices of state election and other of.
ficials in order that there may be no
delay in enrolling and classifying mil
lions Of men for army duty.
Careful preparation has been made
to place the whole task in the hands
of civilian officials of the states and
to remove every suggestion of mill
tary force in putting the measure in
to effect The only function of the
federal government will be supervis-
ion through the office of the provost
general. The departments
statement follows:
Public Must Feel Liability.
"There was a. time. in the country's
history when military enumerators,
backed by bayonets, went out among
the people to take a compulsory SER
vice census. Today, under the prin-
ciple of government liability to SER
vice, the execution of law is put into
the hands of the people.
"The approval of the new national
army bill and the presidents procla-
tai. All persons within the age linn
it's prescribed will be required to pre-
sent themselves for registration at
the customary voting place in the vot-
ing precincts in which they have their
permanent homes, on a day which the
president will announce. The proba-
bility is that from 10 to Is days will
elapse between the approval of the
bill and registration day.
In Charge of Public Officials.
"The, governor of each state will
be the chief of registration therein.
The machinery of registration in each
county is to be in charge of the
sheriff, the county clerk and the
county physician, acting ex officio,
unless different board shall be an
nounced by the governor In cities
containing populations of more than
10000 the registration will be under
the control of the mayor and selected
boards of registration. In order that
the designated county and city Of
ficials and the people generally can
get a clear understanding of the cen
sus methods the following brief out
line is given:
"The sheriffs or other designated
officials Immediately upon receiving
notice from the governor shall ap-
point registrars for each voting pre-.
cinct.
Want Volunteer Registrars.
"The production of registrars shall
be one for each ITO persons to be
registered. Each age to be registered
will comprise about per cent of the
population. If, for instance, all me1
between 10 and rs years of age, in
elusive, are to be registered, the reg
istrar would have to enroll about I
per cent of the precincts population
ut is desirable to accept the ser
vices of competent volunteer regis
trars, to serve without compensation
All registrars must be sworn.
"The voting place in each precinct
must be prepared for registration
Fully printed instructions covering
every detail of registration will be in
the fifth day after the president
proclamation.
City Mayors in Charge
"The mayor of a city containing
more than 10000 inhabitants or the
officials designated by the governor
therein shall with approval of the
governor, appoint for each ward OF
convenient minor subdivision contain
ing about 10000 people one regis
tration board and shall designate one
officer of each board to preform du
ties similar to those imposed on the
sheriff, as heretofore outlined. If the
mayor desires he may appoint a con.
troll board to coordinate the work of
minor boards.
"On the fifth day after the presi.
dent has issued his proclamation
clerks of counties and cities of over
10000 must secure supply of blanks
and copies of the registration regu-
lations from the sheriff or from the
mayor. Absentees and the sick will
apply to such clerks to have their
registration cards filled out.
In no case shall such persons be
given registration certificates. They
are to be instructed by the clerk that
f1,n 1,y,r,l 0., 10 n
that the cards reach the registrars
of their home precincts by regis
tration day.
Register by Mail if Absent.
persons absent from their home
counties may register by mail. II SO
absent, man should go to the clerk
of the county where he may be stay
ing on the sixth day after the date
of the presidents proclamation. If he
is in city of over 10000 population,
the city clerk is the official to whom
to apply. The absentee will be told
how to register, but he must mail
his card in time to reach his precinct
by registration day.
persons too sick to present them
selves for registration must send a
competent person to the county or
city clerk on the sixth day after the
issuing of the proclamation. The
clerk will give instructions for reg
istration.
Officials of educational, charit-
able and other institutions should ap-
ply for instructions to the county or
city clerk on the sixth day after the
date of the proclamation for instruc-