The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-05-22

Laden with registration ammuni-
ton. Sheriff A. NJ. Ross and Attorney
Lowell and Deputy J. C. Ross and At
torney, cupler left Fargo this after
noon by automobile to visit every
precinct in Cass county and to swear
in the registrars for the performance
of their duties on June 5, which has
been officially designated as registra-
ton day.
Registration and the swearing in of
the registrars and the work Of the at
torneys will be wholly without cost.
All registry officials will give them
services free and no payment will be
made for the buildings used In regis
tration.
Auto Filled With Stationery.
The automobile which left the
courthouse shortly after the noon hour
was filled with registration stationery,
summarization blanks and placards
besides the registration oaths, copy
OF which will be furnished to each man
sworn.
Sheriff Ross stated before leaving
that in all probability the clerks of the
different townships in the rural dis
tricts will be sworn in as the regis
trars and in the city selections would
be made from the large number of
volunteers. One of the organizations
OF the city that has offered men for
this purpose is the Patriotic bureau
organized recently with P. w. Clemens
as its chairman.
All Compelled to Register.
All natural born male citizens Of the
United States between the ages of FL
and 80, both inclusive, are compelled
to register under the provisions Of
the select service" bill. It was stat
ed this afternoon by member of the
registration board that there are some
who are not citizens and have not de-
clared themselves who think they are
exempt froM the selective service pro-
vision but they are not. The bill
clearly says that all male persons be-
tween the mentioned ages whether
aliens, declared or natural born cit
liens are compelled to go to the polls
and register. If not, a prison term
with no alternative will be imposed.
The Registration Oath.
The registrar on taking the oath
swears that he will faithfully perform
the duty OF registrar of the precinct,
that l will correctly record the an
swers given me by persons registering,
that I will indicate upon every regis
tration card answers that / know to
be untrue and that / will truth
fully answer and record matters
charged to my observation"
To every precinct in the county and
to furnish each registrar with the al
lotted amount of literature will prob
ably require the attention Of the sher-
if and attorneys until the end of the
week.
How Men are Drafted.
It is generally assumed that the
selection of registered men will fol-
low closely the methods of choosing a
jury. According to the letters from the
governor received by Sheriff Ross the
"selective service bill is one of fair
ness to all.
On registration day all men liable
to CONSUMPTION must sign. Each will
register in the city or the town where
he Is a resident. Those who are away
for any reason must register by mail.
Then will come the eliminations. Men
who come under the age limit and who
will be away from their home city or
town and will be sick may register
now as some have already done this
in the ONCE Of the county auditor. AS
an example to show how the system
works out the registration of Fargo
men is taken. s. H. Abbott OF Fargo,
assistant state dairy commissioners,
whose work takes him about the state,
went to the auditors office this morn
ing and registered as an absentee. Six
others also signed their cards. The
auditor will personally see, like the abb
sent voter ballot, that the card reach
es the precinct Of the register on reg
istration day.
Men employed in navy yards and
arsenals and other government plants
as well as munition workers and men
who are employed in any manner or
direct benefit to the government in
the war will not be taken
from their work. it has been an
nounced. Physically unfit men will be
exempted. Those who assert they are
relons will not be drafted. Prehmin-
airy announcements have intimated
that those with dependents will be
eliminated from the first draft as will
those physically unfit. One of the
features OF the 1917 draft is that no
one will be permitted to buy himself
out on payment of $500 as was al
lowed during the civil war, or on
March 8, 1853 when the United States
to the last draft