The pioneer. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-11-15
"The time has come for a more

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plete inventory of the qualifca-
tion of all registrants in order to
determine as to each man select
ed for duty with the colors the
place in the military, industrial,
or agricultural ranks of the nat
ions in which his experience and
training can best be made to
serve the common good. This
project involves an inquiry by
the selection boards into the do
mestic, industrial and educational
qualification of nearly 100000
men.
Members of these boards have
rendered a conspicuous service.
The work was done without re-
gard to personal convenience and
and under a pressure Of immed-
late necessity which imposed
great sacrifices. Yet the services
of men trained by the experience
of the first draft must of neces-
sity be retained and the selection
boards must provide the direct
ing mechanism for the classifica-
ton. The thing they have done
is of scarcely one-tenth the mag
nitude of the work that is yet to
be done. 1t is of great import
ance to our military and to our
economic interests that the class
ification be carried swiftly and
accurately to a conclusion. An
estimate of the time necessary
for the work leads to the conclu-
sion that it can be accomplished
in 60 days, but only if this great
marshalling of our resources of
men is regarded by all as a nat
innol war undertaking Of such
significance as to. challenge the
attention and compel the assist
ance of every American.
Il call upon all citizens, there
fore, to assist the local and dis
trict boards by profering such
services and such material con-
veniences as they can offer and
by appearing before the boards,
either upon summons or upon
their own initiative to give such
information as will be useful in
classifying registrants. urge
men of legal profession to offer
themselves as associate members
of the legal advisory boards to be
provided in each community for
the purpose of advising regis
trants Of their rights and obliga-
tions and of assisting them in
the preparation of their answers
to the questions which all men
subject to the draft are required
to submit. ask the doctors of
the country to identify themsel-
yes with the medical advisory
boards which are to be constitut-
ed in the various districts thru
out the United States for the pur-
pose of making a systematic ply
sical examination of the regis
trants. 1t is important also that
police officials OF every grade and
class should be informed of their
duty under the selective service
law and regulations, to search
for persons who do not respond
promptly and to serve the sum-
mons of local and district boards.
Newspapers can be of very great
assistance in giving wide public
ity to the requirements of the
law and regulations, and to the
numbers and names of those who
are called to present themselves
to their local boards from day to
day. Finally, / ask that during
the time hereafter to.be specified
as marking the so day period of
classification. all citizens give at
tention to the task in hand in or
der that the process may proceed
to a conclusion with swiftness
and yet with even and consider
ate justice to ALL"