Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-31
MANPOWER BILL
SIGNED BY WILSON
arduous duty of soldier life are to be
taken first.

-
arduous duty of soldier life are to be
taken first.
Youths in their eighteenth yecar
will be placed in a separate group,
the War Department has announc-
ed, to be subject to a special edu-
cational program and will not be
called until the supply of other
available men in the new classes is
exhausted. This does not mean that
their calling will be long deferred,
announced that all men in the new
registration accepted for general
service will be under arms by June
80, 1919. The man power bill
makes no specific provision for sep
arate classification of 1S-year-
| boys and War Department plans for
their treatment have been made on
executive initiative.
Although the work or fight"
| clause which would have effected
| striking workmen was taken out of
the bill before passage yesterday,
Provost Marshal General Crowder
! has planned to apply vigorously eX-
listing regulations relating to idle
men or those engaged in pon-es-
sential employment to the newly
registered men.
The Proclamation
After citing the law and stating
| the regulations for registration the
Presidents proclamation read as
follows:
Fifteen months ago the men of
| the country from twenty-one to
thirty-one years of age registered.
Three months ago and again last
month those who had just reached
the age OF 21 were added. 1t now
remains to include all men between
the ages of is and 45. -
This is not a new policy. A CEN
tury and a quarter ago 1t was delib-
erately ordained by those who then
were responsible for the safety and
defence of the nation that theduty
of military service should rest upon
all able-bodied men between the
ages of Is and As. We now accept
and fulfill the obligation which they
established, an obligation expressed
in our national statutes from that
time until now. We solemnly pur-
pose q decisive victory of arms and
deliberately to devote the larger part
of the military manpower of the
| nation to the accomplishment of
that purpose.
The younger men have from the
first been ready to go. They have
furnished voluntary enlistments out
of all proportion to their numbers.
Our military authorities regard them
as having the highest combatant
! qualities. Their youthful enthusi-
asm. their virile eagerness, their gall
liant spirit of daring make them the
admiration of all who see them in
action. They covet not only the
distinction of serving in this great
war but also the inspiring memories
which hundreds of thousands of
them will cherish through the years
to come, of a great day and great
service for their country and for
mankind.
Older Men Called
"By the men of the older group
now called on, the opportunity now
opened to them will be accepted with
| the calm resolution of those who
| realize to the full the deep and
solemn significance of what they do.
Having made a place for themselves
in their respective communities. hav-
| ing assumed at home the graver re-
sponsibilities of life in many spheres,
! looking back upon honorable rec
ords in civil and industrial life, they
will realize as perhaps no others
could, how entirely their own for
tunes and the fortunes of all whom
they love are put at stake in this
war for right and will know that
the very records they have made
render this new duty the command
ing duty of their lives. They know
surely this is the nations war. how
imperatively it demands the mobili-
zation and massing of all our re-
sources of every kind. They will
regard this call as the supreme call
of their day and will answer 1t ac-
cordingly.
| "Only portion of those who
register will be called upon to bear
arms. Those who are not physically
fit will be excused; those exempted
by alien allegiance; those who should
not be relieved of their present re-
i sponsibilities; above all those who
cannot be spared from the civil and
industrial tasks at home upon which
the success of our armies depends
as much as upon the fighting at the
front. But all must be registered in
order that the selection for military
service may be made intelligently
and with full information. This will
be our final demonstration of 10y
atty, democracy and the will to win
our solemn notice to all the world
that we stand absolutely together in
a common resolution and purpose.
1t is the call to duty which every
true man in the country will respond
with pride and with the conscious
mess that in doing so he plays his
part in vindication of a great cause
at whose summons every true heart
offers it's supreme service"
Immediate consideration in the
Senate of the emergency resolution
supplementing the Fall soldiers
homestead amendment of the bill
designed to prevent speculation in
homestead reports which may be ac-
lquired in the names of youths under
twenty was sought by Chair
man Chamberlain. of the Military
lCommittee. but Senator Jones. oi
New Mexico. of objected and the