New-York tribune., 1918-03-13

the quota of his board as long as he
continues to be so engaged.
"Whenever any registrant, whose call
to the colors has been deferred by rea-
son of his engagement in agriculture,
is shown to have peen idle on the farm
on which he is engaged Or to have
trifed with the deferment that has
been accorded him, the boards will
forthwith induct him into military SER
vice If his order number has been
reached in the meantime. The effect
Of this expedient is to grant furloughs
from service prior to actual call to the
colors to the men SO greatly needed in
the production of this years crop.
"This is not, however, the only ex-
pedient that is to be adopted to con-
serve the supply of labor appurtenant
to agriculture and to mobilize all
means for increasing the harvest for
the agricultural season Of 1918.
There is now pending before Con-
gress bill authorizing the Secretary
of War to grant furloughs, with or
without pay, to men in the army to
enable them to engage III industrial
and agricultural pursuits. These fur
loughs will be granted after considera
ton of the circumstances of the in
divivdual case in which they arise, and
when the military situation is such
that they can be granted without too
great disruption and Reorganization of
the army, or of any particular organ
ization of the army.
GAS ssto further means to protect
agriculture, a new regulation has been
promulgated authorizing agricultural
students in their senior year in land
grant colleges to enlist in the Enlisted
Reserve Corps of the Quartermaster's
Department, provided their class stand
ing is such as to place them in the
upper third of their class. By this
means it will be possible to defer the
draft call Of such young men in order
to enable them to perfect themselves
as agriculturists and thereafter to pro-
tect them in such services as it may
seem that they should perform in the
best interests of the nation.
"T'ie whole industrial and agri
cultural situation is being subjected
to a very comprehensive study in order
to discover any means that may be
taken to protect and augment the labor
supply appurtenant to industry and
agriculture without precludng the
prompt and orderly progress of our
military plans. 1t is confidently be-
lieved that great progress can be made
along this line and that more effective
measures than any yet devised can be
put into operation TO attain the de-
sired end.
War of Mechanics
at must be emphasized that this is
war of mechanics. The need Of the
several armed forces for men highly
skilled in technical and mechanical
pursuits is greater than in any former
L. 4 e., - Ill 1ol
men finds the nation under necessity
every line of industry. Withdrawals
of men from industry must be made
and these Withdrawals must take.men
who might otherwise be deferred on ac-
count of their special qualifications and
skill. The necessary numbers of such
skilled men will be obtained in one Of
three ways.
First, men already in the military
service, who have such special skill,
will be taken from the line regiments
and assigned to the staff organizations
and departments where their skill is
needed. Second, men classified by the
selection boards, even though they may
have been placed in a deferred classi-
fication, will be withdrawn with great
care and particularly from the indus
tries Of the nation for special SER
vice in staff corps and DEF artments
Third, young men of draft age, with
certain educational qualifications, will
be induc.cd into the service and sent
to universities, colleges and technical
and secondary schools to be instructed
in technical arts until they have ac-
quired such proficiency as will justify
their assignment to the special units
that are being organized in consider
able numbers.
"1n accordance with this plan, the
provost marshal general has already
+ called upon the states for some ten
, thousand skilled artisans and will
+ shortly call upon the states for ten
! thousand young men, graduates Of
/ grammar schools, who will be sent be-
fore April to various technical and
Of training. Regularly, thereafter,
an increasing stream Of selected men
will be sent through educational and
other training institutions for this pur-
pose.
ITO sum up, it may be said that
there Will be no sudden withdrawal Of
great numbers Of men from the ranks
OF industry and agriculture during the
coming summer, but that men will be
drawn in relatively small groups
throughout the year in such a way az
TO create the least possible intcrfcr-
ence with industry and agriculture
Men in deferred classes, az well as
men in Class /, will be selected in small
numbers, either on account Of then
special technical qualifications, or 70,
thc Eurpose Of sending them TO schools
wnerc they Will be given an opportunity
to acquire such qualifications"
Gen. March Denies
Er,n~o A