Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-05-11

GOVERNORS TO
AID IN DRAFTING
Sheriffs and Mayors Called on
TO Assist Registration.
HOW THE PLAN WILL WORK

PoWer-Danlels Hints Ihat Navy 10
Planning to Check U Boats Other
Washington Gossip.
Washington Especial Correspond
ence. = Fifteen days win probably
elapse after President Wilson signs the
compulsory service bill before the day
of registering arrives, according to a
statement issued recently by the war
department. All persons within the
age limits prescribed will be required
to register at their customary voting
places.
The governor of each state will be
the chief registration officer therein.
The machinery of registration in each
county is to be In charge of the sher-
iff, the county clerk and the county
physician, acting ex oficio unless the
governor directs that a different board
serve. In cities containing a popura-
ton of over 10000 the registration
will be under the control of the mayor
and selected boards of registration.
Must Appoint Registrars.
The sheriff or other designated Off
Gals Immediately upon receiving no
tice from the governor shall appoint
registrars for each voting precinct.
The proportion of registrars shall be
one for each 10 persons to be regis
tered. Each age to be registered will
comprise about 1 per cent of the total
population-that is to say, under a bill
calling out all men between twenty and
thirty 10 per cent of the population
will be registered.
On the fifth day after the president
has issued his proclamation clerks of
counties and cities of ver 10000 must
secure a supply of blanks and copies
of the registrations from the sheriff
or from the mayor. Absentees and
the sick will apply to such clerks to
have their registration cards filed out.
In no case shall such persons be given
registration certificates.
Persons absent from their home
counties may be registered by mail
If so absent q man should 60 to the
clerk of the county where he may be
staying on the sixth day after the date
of the presidents proclamation. If he
is In a 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.
Absentees and the Sick.
Persons too sick to present them
selves for registration must send a com
petent person to the county or city
clerk on the sixth day after the issuing
of the proclamation. The clerk vii!
give instructions fer registration.
officials of educational, charitable
and other institutions should apply for
instructions to the county or city clerk
on the sixth day after the date of the
proclamation for instructions as to a
convenient method of registration.
The wardens of jails, penitentiaries
and reformatories should apply to the
county or city clerk for instructions on
the sixth day.
Five days after the date of the pres
IQCllS DlOCt1IldtlOA COIlplCJC 1CS Ii
lions will be In the hands of all sheriffs
and Of the officials of cities.
The president is authorized to cali
upon all public officers to assist in the
execution of the law. The plan is, how
ever, to rely on the people for the prop
er execution of the law. 1t is expected
that patriotic citizens will offer their
services free as registrars.
Would Give Wilson Great Power.
Harassedb by insistent demands of their
constituents for relief from existing
high food prices, members of congress
are in a temper to give the president
almost dictatorial powers to regulate
the production and sale of food prod
ucts. This was the effect of the intro
duction in the house by Chairman Le-
yer of the committee on agriculture Of
the most drastic food legislation ever
proposed in this country.
Should this legislation become law
the president would be clothed with
powers every bit as arbitrary as those
possessed by the food dictators of Eu.
rope. Not only would he be empow-
cred to establish maximum and mini
mum prices for foodstuffs, but he
would have the right to requisition the
output of private abattoirs and other
food producing factories whenever the
necessity might arise. He would have
authority to compel holders of necessi
ties to release them in amounts insur-
ing fair distribution; to regulate ex-
changes so as to eliminate food specu-
lation; to compel the railroads to give
preference to the transportation Of
necessities and to restrict or prohibit
the use of grain for the manufacture
of alcoholic liquors.
Administration Favors the Bill.
The administration, which is said to
be heartily in favor of the Lever bill.
believes that the authority conferred
on the president by it's mere existence
would operate effectively without the
president being compelled to resort to