The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-12
BOYS WORKING RESERVE.
An Open Letter from Federal State
Director for south Carolina.

The State Council OF Defense sever
nj months ago was gracious enough
to select me as Federal State Di-
rector for South Carolina In the
United States Boys Working Re-
serve. Headquarters were established
I'm Sumter and with the indispensable
assistance of a stenographer provided
by the State Council of Defense. the
office In Sumter has been busily en-
gagged In organizing the counties Of the
state In this very important work BY
this time forty counties have been
organized and many OF them are al
ready ut work. On the 25th of last
month a conference was held i'm the
city of Columbia which proved to be
distinct success in every way. The
county directors who attended this
meeting were full of enthusiasm and
determined to see to 1t that South
Carolina Is not behind the other
States in this very important work.
Let me, at the outset. state the pur-
pose of this organization. The ad
ministration at Washington, realizing
how acute the labor situation was GO
ing to be on account of the war, or
ganized, through the department of
labor. with William E. Hall as Nat
ional Director. the U. S. Boys Working
Reserve. With the cooperation of
the State Councils of Defense. Mr..
Hall appoints the Federal State Di-
rector for each State in the union.
These State directors appoint county
directors and the county directors ap-
point a cabinet. consisting of from Is
70 20 men and in this way cover the
whole county. The government is
calling upon all boys between he ages
OF l6 and FL years to vclri teer for
some productive activity. T.. coon as
the boy volunteers he is iss ,'ed q GER
tihcate showing that he is a qualified
member OF the U. s. Boys Working
Reserve. This does not mean that he
has to give up the work that he is do
ing. but 1t does mean that he has
shown by this enlisting that he is will
ling to serve his government in any
emergency call III he works on the
farm or in a factory making material
for the war for period of or
weeks he is given a Service Button by
the United States government showing
that he has been faithful to his trust.
III a boy is working on his fathers
parrh sheiis. of course. entitled to en-
rollment.
Boys are naturally and disnterest-
edly patriotic and II they are made to
feel that they are working for their
government at home while their big
brothers are fighting for their coun-
try abroad. there will be no hesita-
tion upon their part about Voluntarily
enlisting. AS soon as the parents and
their sons grasp this idea, there will
he unanimous enlistment of all the
boys In this State.
The direct benefit OF this organ
tzation is very great and it's import
ance Will grow upon the people as 1t
progresses. One of the most telling
Incidental benefits is the consideration
OF the fact that i'm making a censas
Of the $4,000 boys i'm South Carolina
between the ages of 16 and 21 il will
he ascertained how many of these
boys are not engaged I'm some produc-
tive activity. Idlencss has always
been pernicious; in this crisis in the
worlds history il is crime. If.
therefore. this census should reveal
the fact that there are many boys be-
tween these two ages who are spend
ing their time in idleness means may
be found to put them to work. 1t is
perfectly clear TO my mind that, since
the government las the right to take
young men between the ages of 81
and 81 and force them TO fight at the
peril of their lives for those at home.
II certainly has at least an equal right
TO make boys between the ages OF 16
and "a engage I'm some useful activ-
ity that will sustain our mon in the
held and maintain our government al
home.
There should be no anxiety on the
part OF any parcat about the dispo-
sition that shall be made of his son
That enlists. All questions will he set
tied by the county directors subject to
appeal TO the Federal State director
and all these county directors have
been selected with scrupulous care.
They are men not only OF Intelligence