The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1918-09-13
DRAFTED men
TO Be TRAINED
BEFORE CALL.
Nationwide Organization for
Preliminary Drill Launched by
National Security League
Under Sanction of Gen.
eraI CrOWder.

EaTlIatiOi throughout the country OF Il
systematic preliminary course Of train
ing for The young men in the draft, so
hat when they are called they will
know Somnlhin" Of their duties and
how to take care of themselves.
The League has drawn up cOmpre-
hensive plan. which will be put in Oper-
alton in every stare in the Union under
the direction of a COMMITTEE on Pre-
Iiminary Training and instruction OF
Men Registered for Draft" Of which
Surgeon General Charles T. Stokes, U.
S. ~, retired, is chairman.
Crowder Approves.
Provost Marshal General Crowder,
70 whom the Security League submit
ted the idea before acting, has ap-
proved it in a letter to Col. Charles Z.
LydeCEer. President Of the League, in
which he says:
Your proposal gives me great salts
faction. Your League can render val
liable assistance in this manner
The Security Leagues plan will be
made effective through the 2Sl branch
,eS of the League, scattered in all parts
Of the country, and subcommittee Of
SUPERINTENDENT Stokes's committee
cooperating with The Local Draft
Boards in all the states. 1t provides
for the organization into instruction
classes Of the men soon to he called,
to be selected by the Draft Boards, the
actual training to be conducted by re.
tired or disabled army officers, whose
efforts to prepare the young men for
service will be supplemented by local
clergymen and physicians.
Gen. j. Franklin Bell, commandment
at Camp Upton, is an enthusiastic sup
porter of the plan and has promised
the Security League cooperation in
obtaining instructors for the classes in
New York City and vicinity.
"Ciean, Sober Soldiers"
THE object of our endeavor will be
TO make the Young men understand
I why they are called for service to their
country, what is 70 be expected OF
them and why they should be loyal
, clean. sober and intelligent soldiers,
says SUPERINTENDENT Stokes. Outlin,
ing the operation of the plan, he con-
! tinues:
There are three main working
points:
. I'D Each Local Draft Board
! through its Chairman, will select a
Captain, who will procure the assem-
bly, of the registrants and obtain from
local military or naval post, State
, Guard or Home Defense Unit or from
retired or disabled veterans of the
, present war an adequate training Off
Ger.
"(2) The Captain will also invite a
! local clergyman to give information
instruction and advice to the young
men.
| Save Time and Money.
"(3) a local physician will also in
struct the young men in matters OF
health, hygiene and physical well-being
i in order that when they go to camp
they shall present themselves with 8
consciousness of knowledge which will
add to their strength and usefulness.
SAT present the vast majority of OuI
young men are called to the cOlors un.
trained. 1t would greatly facilitate
their being turned into soldiers and
save the government time and money
If when they are called they are pro
vided with some knowledge Of military
training and a sense Of discipline and
. organization.
"The position of local Captain, who
will supervise the work, offers one OF
, the finest opportunities for patriotic
service for men of standing in the com
munity who are unable to get into the
i trenches.
"Disorganized RabbIe."
Under the guidance of such a man
aided by an influential local clergyman
and physician, the drafted men will &C
to their environments In efficient, or
ganiZed bodies rather than as a disOr
ganized rabble and with a spirit OF
self-reliance and cOmradeship. All The
strangeness Of the new life will have
been eliminated, and, since the men
will have been taught what lies before
| them, they will face duty with the con,
t1dence of familiarity.
1.-THE military instruction will com.
prise only the simplest evolutiOns, with
particular emphasis upon military cour.
tesy-when, where, how and whom to
salute, A general supervision of this
phase of the training for uniformity
and efficiency will be conducted by the
government military authorities. Ar.
mories, public parks and squares, pub.
lie school Fairgrounds, etc, will be
utilized for the actual drilling. Drills
two or three times a week of an hours
duration will be preferable to longer
periods at less frequent intervals.
Fitted for Officers.
Competitive drills will be arranged
to stimulate Interest and enthusiasm.
One Of the advantages of the plan win
be that the men who prove most prof.
cient in the preliminary training will
hayes an excellent chance of being Sc,
leCted as nOn-commiSsioned officers
when they arrive in camp"
w. SIS.
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