Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1917-05-10

teer and enter the services OF UllCle
Sam at once instead of taking chances
of being drafted into service, the way
is now open. About 35O,OOO men
are needed for filling up the ranks OF
the Regular Army and National
Guard, and it is hoped by the War
Department that the greater portion
of this number will volunteer.
The matter of age has possibly kept
many from enlisting, but according
to an article published in the Balti-
more Sun, men will be taken up pos
sibly to 40 years. A part OF this
article follows:
Despite the passage of the Selective
Draft bill, there is going to be The
greatest campaign for volunteers dur
the next few weeks this country has
ever seen, and if the volunteers come
forward in numbers such as are want
ed the volunteer army to be raised by
the United States will be the greatest
volunteer army raised in this country
at one time.
And what is true, furthermore, is
that these volunteers will not be linn
tied by any young mans test. Men
will be taken at least up to 35 years
more likely to 40 years-so that
Bill Jones and others like him can
join that great army which he dream
ed might march into Berlin to shoe
out the Kaiser.
The simple English of the whole
situation is this: While the Selective
Draft bill, which Congress is just
about to pass. provides primarily for
the raising of 100000 men by Sc
lective draft in two installments of
500, 900 each, the bill also provides
for the raising of the National Guard
and regular army to their full com
bined war strength of 21 ,OS0 officers
and 622, 954 men. To get this great
army of soldiers, the bill provides
that the President shall ask for vol
unteers, and that the selective draft
principle shall not apply tC the regu-
lar establishments-that is, to the
present regular army or the present
National Guard organizations-until
the President is satisfied that there
will not be enough volunteers to make
up the number of men wanted, which
is something over $50, 900 at the pres
ent writing.
So, after all, the advocates of the
time-honored American principle OF
volunteer soldering are to have try
out of their plan. and something over
$4,000 Americans are to be given
an opportunity to come forward with
out being pushed or showed, and to
put down their John Henry's on the
little piece of paper which will make
them soldiers of Uncle Sam for the
period of the war. AS soon as the
war ends, the President will so pro-
claim, and the volunteer and the
drafted man will be discharged and
sent home.
In fixing the age limit for the $50
600 men needed to bring the regular
army and the National Guard up to
their authorized war strength, Con-
gress made a compromise between the
top limit of the guard, which is As
years, and the top limit of the regu-
lar army, which is 35 years. The
figure 40 years probably will stand,
but neither the guard, which becomes
part of the regular army for all legal
and practical purposes, nor the regu-
lar army itself is going to take men
who have a. lot Of dependents, nor
men who are anything but physically
fit.
And now for the selective draft
armies-for there are to be two OF
them, each of 500, 900 men or more.
AS soon as possible after President
Wilson affixes his signature to the
Draft bill he will issue proclamation
calling upon those affected by the law
to register. There is still doubt, be-
cause Of disagreement between the
two houses of Congress, as to the ages
liable to draft, but it is generally
agreed that the minimum age will be
81 years, while the maximum may
be 27, 80 or 40 years.
Whatever the age limits finally
decided upon, all men coming under
the age conditions must present them
selves for registration, which will
take nlace at convenient loca tions in