Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-08
tons to be prescribed by the Presi-

.ao"s ~ " leSctAOcu 10y lic ITesi-
dent,
Thessole precedent for guidance in.
their formulation was that furnished
by the Civil War draft. the single
helpfulness of which was in pointing
out things which should not be done.
1t vas early determined that the
present law should be administered
by a system Of supervised decentrali-
l~zation, retaining In the central Office
in Washington only sufficient control,
to insure promptness and uniformity
Of decision, and passing on to the
States the complete responsibility.
Without "a single exception the final
recommendation Of State governors.
both in the selection and removal of.
the members of these exemption
boards, has been accepted. The ap-,
plication Of the. principle OF local
self-government to the s~elective-ser-
vice law is the characteristic feature
of this great administrative organiza-
ton.
Called 100000 Men.
The success achieved has surpassed
expectations. With the intention OF
of ~September. before which time it.
was then thought the cantonn1ents'
would be ready to receive it. the
boards, proceeded to call and examine
over 100000 men. The first regis
trant was assimilated by the Army
as early AS July 3O,.and by September
l. h local boards stood ready to de-
liver 10000 men. the first 80 per
cent of the entire quota, to the can
tonments. These boards have at all
times been prepared to furnish and
have promptly supplied. men for every
call that has been made by the mill
tary authorities. 4.
Tile experience of that draft gave
birth to the new Selective Service
Regulations. the two principal ;ac-
comp'ishments of which are: First,
the, compilation of "a scientific and
complete inventory of our mar power.
including the qualifications and in
dustrial and domestic circumstances
of, each registrant; second, the deiin-
lite classification of all registrants in
to fly classes according to their rel
alive availability for military service
with regard to their industrial. ag-
ricultural, and domestic Importance
to the Nation. This definite classical
ton and .defcrment Of skill ed. key,
and pivotal men has done much to
dissiDate previous unrest which was.
due to the. lack of approximate knowl-
edge OF draft liability. =,
From the information thus obtained
a complete central occupational card
file is rapidly being prepared in the
office of the Provost Marshal General.
This file when completed will con-
tain the special occupational qualiHd
cations of, each registrant. and will
serve as a basis of information to be
dispensed to the boards whenever a
requisition for "men expert or highly
skilled in any class of work" is made
by The Adjutant General. BY the use
of this single central classified file, she
search, of thousands of ucstionnaire.;
! by boards will be dispensed with and
the process Of selection can : he
achieved with a minimum Of labor
and time.
Increased Personnel.
Tho office force of. the Provost
! Marshal General has been gradually
increased from a officers and 10
clerks to a personnel including Al Of
ficers and STA civilians in the Office in
Washington.
a brief statement showing the total
appropriations and the larger items
of expenditure is given below:
Appropriations were s1o.65s.413:
expenditures were, for salaries Of To-
cal and district board members. S4.-
100000; salaries Of clerical assistants
of district and local boards. $3,90o,-
900, and S2,54S,A13 for printing and
other expenses ,.~. r,: !.
The per capita cost of the selective-
service system nationally to the end
OF the first draft was as follows: ID
Cost per r~egistrant.. ...... $685.
Cost per man called ........ 1863
Cost per man accepted for serv-
Cost per man 81 quota due 7.Ss