Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-27
Select SerU5ce W1U WIN
World War for America,
Says General CrOwder

eNenpJs.
There Is one thought that l must i'm
press TO eradicate an erroneous view
that may hc taken of this classified
ton:
We are dealing in the field of labor
supply. Presenting that the labor sup
ply OF Industry and agriculture COM
prises men between The ages of eighteen
and fifty. and assuming, for the purpose
- this exposition. that there are 1000"
geo men of each of th~se ages, we are
dealing with thirty-IwC classes. appur-
tenant 10 agriculture and TO the various
industries. The draft affects ten-thirty
seconds OF this supply or only about 81
per cent Therefore. turning TO class :,
when ve find skilled farm labor listed
there. IL does moi mean that when class
il exhausted ali skilled farm labcrers
Will have been taken From these flg-
urcs. IL would seem to mean that 81 per
cent of all skilled farm labor will have
been taken. But even this figure is mis-
leading. Without the definite statistics
that the present draft will eventually
afford 7 can say. I think, that within
this class of skilled lsborers at least g
per cent Of those liable 20 draft will he
found IN classes more deferred than class
, by reason OF dependents. alienage and
the like. The result is that when We
have exhausted class >. we shall have
taken ons.- > PEE cent OF the skilled
labor sppurtcnsHr 20 agriculture. The
same figures apply TO other industries.
Drain on Manhood Necessary
To raise sn army comprising hun
dreds OF thousands of men necessitates
an inrOad into the man power OF the ma
ton. We are committed TO this war and
We ought 40 fight il in the most efIsc-
tive fashion possible 10 US. The neces-
s:jy OF raising an army is paramount.
The decrease Al labor supply must BE
adjusted n some way other than by
shutting off recruitment That il can
DE adjusted there IS no question. We see
what England has done, what France
has done. nd most OF all what Germany
has doEe. The problem is rot to main
ain the labor supply OF agriculture and
or every industry intact. 1t is to make
The withdrawal Of men III the most
scientific manner possible. I think we
have done tEst. and that what is offered
here is the basis for a nice balance be-
tween Cur two necessities l feel that
we can go no further. There are those
who say- that We must win this war IN
the economic field. with an inference
that he raising OF an army fs a side
issue. I say 10 you that with any great
er inroads into the field CO recruitment
% our army, We shall be sending infe-
ton is not competent 10 make the slight
adjustment necessary to compensate for
this scientific selection. that il is not
competent to enter this war A vast pro-
duction in our farms and factories IS
necessary. Tt is necessary in order 10
support military operations on tho field
of battle. But certainly no man can
urge in this day of trial and sacrifice
that this nation should deliberately neg
H.. n. tai
OF military operation on the plea that
OF huaminity is in attaining an eco
nomic supremacy. To do so would be
to releRate the United States to the role
OF sutler of the fighting nations. We
shall OF course increase our production
We shall become more and more effec-
tive as a nation and we shall supply
our new armies and do all that can be
expected of us to supply the armies Of
our allies But we shall not, under that
guise. confine our participation in this
conflict to the baking OF bread and the
sharpening OF the swords of other men.
This war will be won mil'tarily on the
devoted field Of France. Doubtless II
will be won by the side which is able to
place behind it's army the prevailing
ounce Of provision. But the blow that
skaters the German line and extin-
guishes autocracy from the face of the
earth will be the blow of mans right
arm and not the insidious stroke Of n
shrewd trader.
Selection Boards work
Our selection boards have done great
thing for this nation. but they must do
a greater thing The task accomplished
is scarcely ons-tenth the Importance of
the task which remains before you. For
this great work there stands here ma
tional system, called into being three
months ago and erected almost like
Aladdin's palace. in a night. There are
nearly $4,000 members Of local and DIS
trict boards. With their assistants there
are considerably over twice that num-
Der of persons eaged-a greater nu-
merical force than is contained in a COM
blatant division Of soldiers. They are
pioneers. The have blazed their own
path They are trained in the work and
familiar with the law. They have be-
come an essential and highly specialized
and important part OF the war organiza-
ton OF this nation The selective service
system is as essential to that organiza-
ton as is the army which IL produces.
II is the balance between the military
and the industrial needs OF the nation
and stands as q source Of supply TO
one and a shield OF protection 20 the
other. IL cannot be replaced. Any break
in its ranks would he an act OF even
greater harm to the nation than accrues
when a soldier abandons his regiment or
a sailor his ship. II would be as mex
cusable 20 dismiss. disrupt, or replace
this organization as TO attempt to re-
place or dismiss a division on the field
of France. Most Of you are without the
military age vet you may canvass the
field of all that you could have done to
serve your country outside Of the fight
ing forces and you viii find no more
valuable thing than what you are doing.
The examination Of the first 100000
registrants has taken you from your &C.
cupations and the winning OF your daily
bread No one knows better than I the
burdens you have borne under our new
and necessarily crude system.
As we built and bolstered during the
early orgsnizational period 7 would
shudder whenever necessity demanded
that I send out 70 the overburdened
boards rev rulings. amendments, orders
and get e became cleare" and clearer
thas We must retain the services Of all
for this new and greater task.
The conclusion was overwhelming.
The whole system must he revised in
the light OF our experience The bur
dsns must be made bearable-the lives
Of members of selection boards livaoie.
called some members of boards from
- e, ~ IN Va h