New Britain herald., 1917-04-02
GREAT. CIVILIAN RESERVE
 N STATE, OF CONNECTICUT

Oy ClIlS CeSAA kA0 8VV0E1AOX uu8y 3OOOIb to draft. This new law opens up great possibilities for a real solution of the problem. Some minor amendments may be required but the general as- sembly Is in session and tho need Is urgent.
 Your assistants believe in '4univer- sal service" but they realize that the temper of our people has never yet permitted compulsory universal ser vice in the first instance and therefore in tho plan suggested the first step must be . voluntary, patriotic deci- sion. After that is made. tho whole state Is marshalled before the author it1es in an orderly and scientific man. ner. The plan will obv1ate the neces- atty for draft except among g class whose duty Is evident and immediate. On the other hand, a real assurance is given to men who arc more needed at home. There is no chance to 1t. each man knows at the commence ment that he will be called only when his class is called andyh his class will be called when. and only when: the. plain edgency of war requires.
 Civilian Reserve Plans.
 Your assistants recommend that the plan be put into effect by creating an. organization, purely civil in itax char actor. combining representative men. in all walks of life and in every line of endeator. the organization to con- sist of central body directly respon- sible to your excellency with branches in every town of the state respondble to the mayor of each city or flrst 1e-' lectxnan Of each town who In turn would be responsible dlrSctly to tho governor. The local /organixAt4ons would include an active cOnmtttee whose aim would be to bring to the attention of every man the import ance of his personal duty to the state. This should be done in a systematic manner. Every advantage should be taken of publicity and the newspapers of the state should be enlisted in the work. It should be tho aim to enlist between 10000 and z0,OOY people In the propaganda. Men of sixteen ysars and over should be urged to enreA In great civilian reservea reservoir of universal service in the truest sense of the word. This enrolment would |,be in accordance with and subject to the conditions of the published. plan. would not be military and would be wholly voluntary until made. When. made those enrolled would b. bound to answer cell to enlist for regniar field service in accordance with tho plAn. the state on its part agreedn9 that those enrolled would not h sub feet to the draft and would not b. called for military service eNcept In accordance with the plan. Local trd-s bunals would be established to pass on questions arising under the plan. N "A by-produCt of such 8 camp4tgM would be a, great stimulation of loy- atty and the finest kind Of counter action to the machinations of the paid agencies of foreign powers. The or-| dinary citizen fears ,militarisn. but he will trust his civilian neighbor who in the same position as himself is yet willing to place his person at the serv-s ice of his state and country. If aft CT a great campaign of this kind the object of universal service is not at- tained or II tho sudden commence mont of war will not permit the im- mediate creation tof E civilian~reserve then we still urge upon your Excel lency the necessity. with or without additional lealsletion, of adopting the plan without . ctyilian reserve. in this case the, whole state to be treated as civilian reserve and the plan can still be put into efIect. M The Arst step Of the actual pIan h to ssnenpt from lmnied edia1e ssfy1oA all men who are esssnAlat n indus trie1, nscea11ry for WAT. 1nis ulaee should be carefully dellned anA 1hould be aimitod to such industries Aa Ar4 neoeasarys and only such Insu shOuld be exeznpted n are essential. Nav- erthel1a1 the enlistment for deld lorv- ice should be spread as widely as wos- sfble soM thax no locality will be drained except n sproport1on to IT leapacity. This Arst exsmpfipn would be called the InAuets3Al At1ny ana the men enlisted In II would receivs . dts1nctavo bAdge md would stand on m equal plano with the lighting forces but they would be subject t6 definite ruler and regulations which: would to some extent limit their per sona1 liberty. In ordef to rsceive tho benefits of tlsls systsm the employer would also lave to enlist in the lndns- trial Army Ind would be subject fo certain reasonable rules. Each indus
 trial organization thus enlisted would
 be protected 70 long as ats businsss
 was necessary for war.
 osas4s q pnsrsanAssd s1flttaa. Having crea1ed tho Industraal Army,
 the remainder of the unorsapized
 militia would be divided into clauses l as follows:
 First class: All from eighteen to
 twenty-four yeaF1 of Age inclusive
 who have no dependents.
 Second class: All from twenty live
 to thirty-four years of ago inclHsive \ who have no depondentS
 | Third class: All from thirty-five to
 forty-four years of age inclusive who
 have no dependents
 Fourth class: All from eighteen to
 twsnty-tour yeAes o8 ags inclusive who have dependents.
 Fifth clAs: All from t~enty-f.ve