The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-08-17


to be used as fertilizer. Every state
Is asked to plant as large an acreage
in wheat and rye as is possible with
out upsetting proper farm practice.
The experts in Washington say that
while fertilizer may be scarce, there
will be no shortage of seed, farm ma
chinery or transportation facilities.
On Thursday Provost Marshal Gen
eneral Crowder issued the regulations
for calling the National army to the
colors. The first 100000 are to be
called up to September / and sent to
cantonment camps by September D.
The government wishes the first day
of the mobilization appropriately cele-
brated throughout the country in or
der that the citizen soldiers may be
tittingly honored.
Some Antidraft Riots.
Taking the country as whole, the
exemption boards are having mighty
little trouble in carrying out thNir du-
ties in the drafting of the National
army. Part of Oklahoma and some
districts in the Southeast, however,
are glaring exceptions to this rule.
Serious riots have occurred and bands
of draft resisters have armed them
selves and taken to the woods. But
they are being captured by the score
and subjected to the proper punish
ment. Much of the trouble is stirred
up by the l. w. W., and by certain
un-American publicists who argue con-
stantly that American soldiers should
not be sent abroad to fight but should
be kept at home to await the invading
Germans after they have whipped the
entente allies.
Among those arrested last week by
the federal agents was DR.. Fritz Berg
meier, president Of the Volks-Zeitung
Of st. Paul. On orders from Washing
ton he was put in Jail on charges of
making disloyal utterances, to be held
until President Wilson directs his re-
lease. He is an enemy alien.
Canada also is to have drafted
army, the Canadian CONSUMPTION bill
having been passed by the dominion
parliament. Under its provisions 1OO,-
600 men between the ages of twenty
and thirty-two years will be drafted.
and it is the expectation of the au-
thorities that they will be In training
by autumn.
German Ministry Changes.
Chancellor Michaelis remolded the
imperial and Prussian ministries to his
desire, or that Of his masters, but the
oha h Ion nf
enthusiasm in the empire. On the
contrary, they are commented on by
the liberal and radical press with dis
trust and dissatisfaction, and no one
who has talked for publication has
given them his approval. They offer
no hope for parliamentarism or any
other marked change in internal pol
icies, and so far as can be seen, the
war policy of Germany is not likely
to be altered. Doctor Kuehlmann, who
has succeeded Zimmerman as foreign
secretary, is supposed to be opposed
to ruthless submarine warfare, but
Doctor Helfferich Is retained as the
representative of the imperial chancel-
lor, and as he Is ambitious and power
full Ii Is feared he will more than coun-
terbalance Kuehlmann.
Germany's latest peace suggestions
having met with the dlsdainful recep-
ton they deserved, 1t Is unlikely that
any more such proposals. will emanate
from the kaiser for some time. Sew
enty-eight professors of Bonn univer-
sity have signed a petition urging the
German government never to make an
other peace offer.
Root Has Confidence In Russia.
Premier Kerensky last week succeed
ed in completing his coalition cabinet
and obtained the pledges Of all fac
tons that they would support him. He
has promised many reforms, and also
has assured Russia that discipline and
must first be restored. That
he and HIS colleagues will win out and
that Russia will continue In the war
until Germany Is whipped Is the conf
dent assurance of Elihu Root who has
just returned from his mission to
Petrograd. The disorders there, he
says. are not alarmingly serious and
are not typical, and the loss of morale
In the army he is sure is only tenn
porary.
Already the resistance Of the Russian
troops to the advance OF the Germans
and Austrians In Galicia and Bukowina
Is stiffening. and though I'm general the
retreat continued, It ceased to be a