The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-12-28
Friday, December %, 1917.
THE QUESTIONNAIRES.

Just now the registrants unde,
the Selective Service Act are callet
upon to r1swer a series of ques
tons s. 20 themselves, their de
pendentt2, their occupations, etc.
propounded by the War Depart
ment, in order to make a classifca
ton of those liable to war duty, anc
to regulate the turns in which they
are to be drawn.
In each county the lawyers have
been asked to act as advisers in as
sisting the registrants to properly
answer the questions and properly
fill out the questionnaires. A board,
known as the Legal Advisory Board,
whose duties are to assist as far as
possible the registrants and to en-
roll other members of the bar and
other citizens in the work of as
sistance to registrants in the mat
tiers stated, has been appointed in
this and other counties.
There seems to be an idea preva-
lent that the lawyers are to do all
the work. That they have done
most of it up to this time is beyond
dispute, and that they are willing
to do their full duty, so far as this
county is concerned, goes without
question, we think, even though it
means that for thirty days they are
practically withdrawn from their
own business affairs in order to do
so. Every member of the Abbeville
Bar is giving all the time possible
to the work.
But the lawyers cannot do all the
work. One hundred of these ques-
tionnaires are sent out each day,
and each registrant has seven days
in which to have his QUESTIONABLE
returned. With the interruptions
due to the holidays, this means that
on many days more than hundred
registrants must be assisted in this
work. The questions are long and
with the ignorant negroes it takes
a system of cross-eXamination to
arrive at the truth of the. matters
inquired about. 1t is apparent that
the work cannot be done here by
the lawyers alone.
The preachers have been asked to
assist in the work, and some others
have been enlisted, but still there
is need for help. Other communi-
ties have found the same trouble,
and the business men in the differ
ent cities have volunteered to do
their part of the work. In every
bank in Anderson and in most OF
the business houses a man has been
set apart to assist in this work, and
with the assistance of these people
the work is being done satisfactor.
lily.
If the many people who are to be
assisted in this country are to have
proper assistance in the matter Of
complying with the requirements o1
the government the business mer
of the city must take some interest
in helping them as the business mer
at other points are doing. For the
last few days before Christmas il
was next to impossible for bushes!
people to get away from bushes:
but now that the rush is over we be
lieve that they will find it possible
to help.
We must remember too that th'
greatest portion of the registrant
in this county are negroes unedu
Gated and ignorant, and therefore
unable to comply with the law ant
to protect their own rights. We ow'
a special duty to these people, a.
we'll as to the more enlightened
white men, to give them every ali
in our power.
1t is to be hoped, therefore, tina
the people here will volunteer il
the work and give the Board tina
assistance which the Importance O.
the matter deserves.