Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-06-26
DRAFT TO Be FAIR
METHODS OF SELECTING MEN
FOR NATIONAL ARMY WILL
BE ABOVE CRITICISM.
Vo CHANCE or FAyoRlTlSM
fules for PhyeicaI Examination of
Volunteer Recruits for Regular
Army Will Be Modified for the
Young Conscripts.
BY EDWARD 8. CLARK.

country lest in the drawings here and
there there may be some trick of the
trade" by which certain men may be
drawn for the new army and certain
other men not drawn by means OF
some deft Sleight-Of-hand performance
The last Registration day reports
have come into Washington. There is
not enough concern left in the results
Of registration to shadow the rapidly
looming interest in the methods which
will be adopted to choose the service
men by use of the rule of chance.
The country can at once give over
any apprehension that the drawings
will not be fair. A method will be
adopted by which the drawings will
be lifted from out of any shadow OF
suspicion as to the fairness of methods
There will be no possibility that any
one can enter a legitimate objection to
the means which are to be employed
to give all men equal chances in the
matter.
The chances seem to be that for the
new army there will be some modiff-
cation of the rules which now are in
force for the physical examination OF
volunteer recruits for the regular
army. 1t is not believed that young
Americans for the new forces will be
compelled to measure up to the stand
ards set for recruiting for the regulars.
When it was declared a day or two
ago, seemingly by authority, that regu-
lar army standards would be main
tanned for a physical examination,
crOakers instantly began to say. This
will not leave one really stalwart young
American in the country"
Why So Few Are Accepted.
1t is pretty generally known that out
of every five men who have applied
In the past at regular recruiting offices,
only one man has been accepted. No
one has seemed to realize the real
reason for this condition of things. In
certain districts in the United States
fully 80 per cent of the volunteers of
the regular army have been accepted.
In some other districts only 10 per cent
Of the willing ones have been accepted.
It is a matter easily explained.
In the past, notably in the city dis
tricts, there have applied to the re-
cruiting officers thousands of men of
whom by far the greater percentage
were seeking enlistment because they
had come to the conclusion that they
could do nothing in civil life. Army
officers. if they would talk, could tell
tales of hundreds of down and cutters,
physical decrepits, who, tired with the
struggle to get a living, perhaps not by
the labor route, have applied for per-
mission to serve Uncle Sam, with good
money, good bed, good board, good
clothing and good care thrown in. 1t
was the down and cutters and the men
who. not willing to consider themselves
down and out. yet through adverse con-
ditiOns had become run down physical
ly, who applied in largest numbers to
the recruiting officers for regular serv-
Ice.
1t was the inevitable thing, there
fore, that the recruiting office records
in the great cities should show only
about one enlistment for about four
or five applicants. In the country dis
tricts the percentage of acceptances
was much higher, because away from
the cities living conditions were better,
and moreover many sturdy young
Americans were willing to enlist to get
chance to see life under new con-
ditions.
To Keep Alive Service Spirit.
And still the wonder is growing here
at the results of registration day.
There Is an nflowing stream of tele-
grams and letters from the country,
most of which give in enthusiastic de-
scription the marked service spirit and
service desire with which the young
men of ali sections of the country went
to their duty.
Belief is strong in Washington to-
day that the war department will take
advantage of the patriotic psychology
of the occasion to move quickly with
selections and exemptions and thus to
give the country its new national army
in short order.
1t is known that officials believe in
slant preparation for the rest of the
work should be made and that no more
time than Is necessary should be given
to allow the ardor of youth TO cool.
There was volunteer spirit evident
everywhere Registration day, and 1t is
this spirit which quick action. Wash
ingtOn believes, will keep alive.
1t is realized that President Wilson
has a difficult and delicate task in the
outlining of industrial class eXemp-
tons. UnQuestionably he studied the
matter for a long time, advising almost
daily with Provost Marshal General
Enoch II. Crowder and other army
officials as TO just what form the Ieg-
ulations of Industrial exemption
should take.
No Glasses of Industry Exempt.
There are still evidences in Wash
ington that men engaged in certain
pursuits in life take it for granted
that they will not be called to the col
ors. In some sections of the country
farmers have been told by persons
ignorant of the facts in the case that
they will not be called.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
Potato Rings Valuable.
Irish potato rings are being eagerly
sought for by collectors. These rings
were in everyday use in the last cen
fury to encircle potatoes which had
been boiled in the skins, and were
served at the table nesting in Irish
napery. Not long ago 16 of these sill
yer rings brought as much as S11190,
the chief example. ~ inches in dame
ter. by John Lloyd of Dublin. 1770.
realizing S1,025. Another ring by the
same maker was bought for tho Ma
tional museum, Dublin. for 500.