Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-06-21
ORGANIZING FOR VICTORY.

1--WE must organize for the future"
says Provost Marshal General Crowd
err, speaking of his latest amendment
of the selective service regulations.
More men are wanted for the army
than Class I. will yield, and more
men are needed for the war Occupa-
tons. 1t will become necessary to
draw upon all the deferred groups,
H., ILL.,, and w., to fill the ranks.
There is no avoiding this resort,
whether Congress raises new army
of several millions of men or author
izes the President "to draft, subject
to the provisions of the Selective Ser
vice act, and all acts amendatory
thereto, as many men, from year to
year, as can be equipped, trained,
and used" according to a proposed
amendment to the Army bill.
Men in the deferred groups who are
not engaged in occupations that con-
tribute to the winning of the war must
either 60 into the army or seek use
full occupation. Idlers, and the term
includes gamblers, race-track attend
ants, bucket-shop helpers, fortune
tellers, and like parasites, will in most
cases 60 to the environments. This is
plain sailing, but the designation of
non effective occupations that will be
prescribed and the transfer to useful
occupations of those who have the
choice of working present a problem.
General Crowder, as a beginning,
has listed q number of occupations
as non effective. Walters, passenger
elevator operators, footmen, doormen,
and like attendants at clubs, hotels,
stores apartment houses, and office
buildings, ushers at games and sports,
sales clerks and other clerks employ ed
in stores, and persons in domestic ser
vice, who are of the draft age, must
change their positions, or become SOL
diers, or volunteer for the army, the
navy, or the Marine Corps after July
/. But the local boards will have dis
erection to make exceptions if "dis-
proportionate hardship" to depend
ents would be worked, or for other
sufficient reasons. The theory is that
the vacant places could be filed by
men over the draft age or by women.
There will of course be criticism Of
the list, lit is to be extended,) because
there are differences of opinion about
what is useful occupation. 1t is not
necessary to 60 into that phase Of the
matter now. As to the hardship in
volved in having to change from one
family supporting occupation to an
other that might not yield sufficient
wages or salary, there will be more
criticism. People do not always choose
their occupations and perhaps are fit
for nothing else. There is always the
military service, however. This al
tentative suggests that Congress or
the State may have to legislate anew
for dependents.
But the American people have got to
win this war. II civilians at home suf-
fer in their personal circumstances, it
must be remembered that those who
fight for them may suffer infinitely
more, and may lose their lives. Scores
of thousands of them will never re-
turn. All Germany is organized, the
people of every community, every
man, woman, and child, as we'll as the
military forces, to defeat America and
her allies, and to impose ruinous peace
terms upon them. America must or
ganize with the same thoroughness,
no matter what the sacrifice. "This,"
says General Crowder, sis not alone
a war of military msnoeuvre, it is a
deadly contest of industry and me-
chanics." America is not organized
yet. In raising an army Of about
100000 men and expanding the navy
it has taken only the first step.-New
York Times