The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-04-10
RAISING THE ARMY
Will GET HALF MILLION MEN
BY SELECTINE DRAFT.

Washington, ID. c., April 10.-The
thoughts uppermost in the minds of
patriotic Americans since the bill
was introduced in congress for the
immediate raising Of an army of l..
200, 900 men naturally are:
How is that force to be raised?
What citizens are subject to draft
How is that draft TO be applied?
What number of volunteers will be
required?
To answer those questions ii may
be stated hat the first force to be
raised i'm addition to existing regular
army and national guard troops will
be: Five hundred thousand under
the universal service plan to be
raised by selective draft of young
men between the ages of 10 and 25
years; $50, 000 recruits for the ma
tional guard by voluntary enlistment
of men between the ages of Is and
40; 10000 recruits for the regular
army by voluntary enlistment Of men
between the ages of is and 40.
This force of 800, 600, in round
numbers, with the present regular
army and national guard, will give
an army of 1900. 000.
To apply the selective draft TO get
the first increment Of 500, 900 under
universal service there will be an en-
rollment, probably by the pOstoffice,
of all young men between the ages
of 10 and 25. The census bureau es-
Inmates that 1000, 000 young men
attain the age of 10 each year, so that
the seven classes to be enrolled will
list 1000. 900 young men, only $780,
600 of whom. or one in fourteen.
will be called out.
There will be no draft applied to
men over 25 years of age at present,
unless the army fails to recruit up
the regular army from its present
strength of 120,00 to its war
strength Of 100000. and the nation
al guard from its present strength OF
160. 600 to its war strength OF 420.-
000. If the voluntary enlistment
plan fails to provide this force of
100000 needed, however, the draft
will be applied to men up TO the 40
year age limit.
The army of 1900, 600 is all it Is
planned TO raise during the three
months of the present fiscal year. 1t
will strain the army facilities, due to
shortage of officers. TO put this num-
Der under training.
In the next fiscal year the presi-
dent. it is expected, will avail him
self of the authority given TO call out
the second increment of 500. GOO be
tween the ages of 10 and % under
the selective draft plan. giving an
army of 100, 900.
The $4,000, 600 600 appropriation
asked by the army is based on the
plan of getting an army Of 1900, 900
men under arms at the earliest pos
sible moment.
After the enrolment is made, and
that will be the first step in admins
|tration of the law when passed. di-
visional training areas will be estab-
lished i'm strategic points about the
country and the work of whipping
the new army into shape will be
taken up.
Registration of men from 10 to
25. made compulsory in the bill, with
penalty of Imprisonment of from
three months to a year for violation,
probably will be made at postotfices.
though this is yet to be finally de
cided. The army general staff has
suggested to congress that the FOL
lowing information with respect TO
each person registered should be OBJ
tanned.
Name, age, date and place OF birth,
nationality Of self and parents, oc-
cupation. name and address OF EN-
ployer, if any; education, residence
and place of business or employ
ment, married or single, number OF
dependents if any, and facts upon
which claim is based.
AT the outset the war department
will be liberal in granting exemption
to all men with dependents or who
are needed in industry, filling the
first force with young men without
home responsibilities.
A registration of aliens as a de
fensive measure has been suggested,
but is not Incorporated in the army
bill.