Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-05-16
MAKES j. s. ARMY
+, AGE LIMIT q TO 30
Senate and House COnferees Get To-
gether On Army Bill Points.
Age Limit Set.
100000 MEN TO
BE LIABLE FOR WAR SERVICE
The Draft is Made Applicable to All
Male Voters Under 81 Years
of Age.

Washington, d. c., May 14.-The
long deadlock of senate and house
conferees on the selective draft mill
tary bill was broken Thursday with
agreement on compromise meas
ure under which great war army
would be raised by selective con-
scription of men between the ages of
81 and 81.
The conference report is expected
to be given approval by both SEN
ate and house and within two weeks
after the president has affixed his
signature registration of those eligi-
BILE for conscriptiol will be under
way thruout the country. Some
states already have selected their re-
gistration boards and the war depart
ment has erected a vast and intri-
cate war machine for assigning and
organizing the conscripts. They will
be assembled at training camps in
September. The compromise bill is
understood to be generally satisfac-
tory to the administration and to the
army general staff. The ages named
in the conference agreement are 21
and 80, inclusive, making the draft
applicable to all male voters under
81.
The section dealing with exemp-
tions from draft was rewritten il
part by the conference committee and
provision was made for hearings in
exemption applications before local
civil tribunals with the right of ap-
peal to a second tribunal and finally
to the president.
Exemptions from the selective
draft were virtually left as originally
suggested by the general staff. Those
absolutely exempt include officers of
the United States and any state or
territory, ministers, students OF rec
ognized divinity or theological
schools; and members of "any we'll
recognized religious sect or organ
ization whose existing creed forbiGs
participation in war. The last class
are Iot exempt from non-combatant
service. In addition the president
| is authorized to exclude or discharge
from draft the following: County and
municipal officers, custom house
clerks, postal employees, workmen in
navy yard or arsenals or armories;
others in the federal government 5
employ whom the president may des-
| ignate; pilots and mariners actually
employed in sea service: persons
engaged in industries, including agri-
culture, found to be necessary to the
maintenance of the military estab-
| lishment or the effective operation OF
the military forces or the maintel-
ance of national interest during the
emergency" those having persons
dependent upon them for support;
and those found to be physically or
morally deficient.
Explains the Registration. %
From many letters the war de-
partment learns that registration
and selective draft are being con-
founded. These are separate and dis
tinct processes. Registration is simp-
ly the enrolling of all male residents
of the United States between the
ages of 21 and 80 inclusive. Every
male resident between the designat-
ed ages must register on the date
set by the presidents proclamation
unless he is in the regular army, the
navy, the national guard, or naval
militia actually in the federal SER
vice"
Penalty for Failure.
"The enrolling is done in each
voting precinct by a registrar ap-
pointed for the purpose. The duties
of the registrar are mandatory ana
are performed under the sanction OIL
an oath. Nothing is left to his dis
cretion. He is liable to heavy penal
ty, Imprisonment with no alterna-
tive of fine, for making false re-
turn or in any way being party to
or conniving at practices of favor
itism or evasion. A like penalty i'm
pends over the individual who fails
to register. saalty 4
"The later process of selection VIII
be made by lot from the names en-
tered on the registration rolls.
Sheriff Ellingson has receiEee
blanks, etc., and will appoint regis
trars in the different precincts Y
Register the names. The day has no
lbeen set yet, but will he soon.