The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-03-08
Provost Marshal Wants Them to
Gather Data for the War
Department.
need SKILLED men FOR ARMY
Information Required Is to Be Taken
From ouestionnaIres Of Drafted
Men-ArtIsans to BE Picked
From All Sectiona

washington. - Ine government
through the provost marshal's Office
is undertaking to organize a volunteer
army of school teachers throughout
the entire land. so as to secure an
efficient industrial army to stand be-
hind the men with guns In their hands
and enable the United States to fight
the great war to a successful conclu-
sion. 1t Is very big undertaking and
like many Of the efforts put forth by
the government at this time much de-
pends upon the voluntary assistance
Of loyal and patriotic people. The
matter has been taken up with Presi-
dent Wilson and he has expressed the
opinion that the school teachers of
America. those who are now engaged
in teaching the children Of the coun-
try patriotism, win come to the aid of
the government.
In order to enforce the selective
draft system the country was organ
ized with 5000 local boards to pass
upon the returns which the selected
men made. In the Office of each local
board. comprising the district which
the board controls, are the answers to
the questionnaires OF something like
total Of 100000 men. About 1,500.-
600 have already been selected for the
fighting forces of the National army,
but there remain I'm various classes
men who could be extremely useful to
the government on account of the
knowledge and skill which they have
attained in their daily occupations.
1t Is necessary for TIE provost mar
shal's Office at Washington to obtain
information as to the qualification, ex-
perlence and adaptability of these men
to the work which Is necessary In con-
nection with the war.
PershIno Needs Skilled Men.
For instance, not long ago General
Pershing wanted 1000 bricklayers. He
wanted them not as civilians, but as
soldiers. He needed them for particu-
! lar work which was to be done
for the support of the army in France.
| Then again there was a call for, 5000
spruce lumbermen; that Is, men who
had knowledge of the numbering and
logging business, who could go into
the woods and get the spruce lumber
necessary to make airplanes. Then
4 there is call for motor mechanics,
and for men skilled In many other
lines of industry who as soldiers will
perform as great service In support
ing the army at the front as will those
men who are working industriously for
the government all along the line In
order to make the fighting forces eff
fective.
Now the provost marshal's Office is
I'm need of the information that is on
file In the offices of the various local
boards, and the only way this sinforma.
ton can be obtained is through the
voluntary assistance of some particu'
lar class Of people. 1t has been de
cided that the school teachers Of the
country by giving a little OF theil
time each day to the work can Obtair
from the local boards the information
which the provost marshal must have
In order to secure the classification O.
the men so as to make up the various
lists that are necessary 10 make th'
army the great machine which 1t /!
designed to be.
Get Facts From Questionnaire.
Tn order to get this information mil
lions of cards have been printed ant
sent to the various local boards, upol
which rs to be copied from the ques
tionnaires on file with the boards th'
necessary information respecting eacl
individual selected man that the pro
vost marshal's Office desires. Upol
this card the man will be classified &C
cording to the findings of the loca
board, but the important feature will
be his classification as to occupation
and skill In any particular profession
trade or industry; his familiarity wit
tools and instruments, or other kind
of work. It will make no differenc
what his occupation may be, the infor
nation concerning the man will be pu
upon the card and these cards sent t
the provost marshal in Washington.
Il is proposed to classify at ieas
10000 men who win be availabl
for service In the United States a
, soldiers. They will be put in uniforr
and subject to the same discipline a
the other selected men. Instead Of bt
: ing trained with guns and for fighting
: they will be trained for particular dut
, that is needed.
It is the intention Of the proves
: marshal's Office to make the selectio
OF men for these Industries so as
cause the least possible disturbanc
y among workingmen, or In the indus
txina- oS tha. .conntrxA--T The selection