Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-13
CALL TO COLORS
WILL Be GRADUAL
Industry and Agriculture Pro-
tected IN Second Draft
Program.
FURLOUGH MEN TO FARMS
While Actual Food Producers
vii! Be Placed at Foot
Of Draft Quota.
iBy Associated Press K!

iRy Associated Press
W\StiINGTON. March i@-Provost-
Nar.hal-G Gencral CrowIcr to-day made
the first o;Neth, announcement OF i~e
tam. OF trc second draft. /: VIII te
ordered - sonI, as Congress an = Is
tho las t. "onlp,i,c the basis or so
r.rlpnilc!t among the States on TIC
:i.c hcr o. reats!tJnls IL class A.
s:caT of pjpu';,,ion. For purposes OF
computation sp,0Gr men Will he con-
siGe.ed as co',p.yils the second dra:t.
although no such number Will be
called 10 the co!ors II any one time.
Mon ia deferred casaificationS. the
provost marsha general announced
would bc called In small numbers IS
we'll men in class ! for the purpose
@f utii!"ir= special technical qua:if-
ca;.ou5 o. sending them to schools !"
acquire au-h qualifications.
The rrovost- -marsha!Gemerai makes
'hc definite statement. however. hat
there VIII be no sudden withdrawal
OF grea; numbers or men from indus
try and agriculture during the coming
summer. bu, that they will he drawn
in relatively small groups. spread
throughout the year. To give the cx-
act numbers. he says, would be to give
the enemy military information.
SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
WILL BE AVAILABLE IN ApRII.
While General crowdcr sets no time
in his statement, ii has been stated
previously that supplies and equip
nent for the men OF the second draft
would become available in April. and
as action on the desired s!slation IS
expected before thst time the first calls
arc expected soon af;erward.
Tine next national quota VIII be an
nounced and apporiioned among the
several States AS soon as pending
legislation authorizing "A change in the
basis OF computation ia enacted by
Congress" says the provost marshal
generals statement. The number
that viii be assumed az a basis for
computation will he 100000 which is
wsll within the authorization or clause
OF section Of the sclective service
act OF a second increment OF 500. 900
men. increased by the recruit train
ing units authorized by clause OF
section /. and by the special and tech
meal troops authorized by section OF
said act. II cannot now be announced
what the total number 10 be called 10
The colors each month will be. but il
% called than can he properly accom-
modatcd and promptly assinlila ted
DiFFICI i.TtES MET WITH
IN SUrPLNING FARM LABOR
There are difficulties confronting
the nation in the supply Of labor ap-
Durtenamt 10 agriculture class !. from
which ncw lcvies arc TO he Withdrawn.
viii! contain many more men than arc
would be a most unscientifc and
fa;uous step if the men in class were
called indiscriminately without regard
TO ,he labor situation in arriculture
Therefore. the local boards viii be d.
iected 10 iil their quotas in the order
Of liability of men in class as de-
termined by the national drawing. ex-
cept that. where it is shown tina; a
"ceistrant is completely and asSiduous-
l. cnSa aSod in tho planting. cultivation
and rcapinG Of crop. his call 10 the
cclors shall he deferred TO tho foot
of the quota OF his board as long as he
continues 10 be so engaged.
Whenever any rcgistrant whose
cali TO tho colors has been deferred by
reason of his enea cement in agricul-
turc. is shown 10 have been idle on
the farm on which he Is engaged or
to have trihed with the defccmcnt
that has been accorded him. tho boards
Will forthwith induct him into mill
,ary service il his order number has
been reached in The meantime. The
effett Of this czpcdent is 10 grant fur
louGhS from service prior TO actual call
20 the colors to tho men 50 greatly
needed in the production OF this years
crop.
This is not, however. the only cx-
pcdicnt that is 10 bc adopted to con
serve the supply Of labor appurtcnant
10 agriculture and to mobilize all
means for increasing the harvcs; for
the agriculture season OF 1915
MEN IN ARMY WILL RE
FIRLOUGHED no FARM
There is now pending before Con-
gross a bill authorizing the Secretary
Of War TO grant furloushs with or
without pa%. to men in tho army TO
able them 10 engage in industrial and
agricultural pursuits. These furloughs
will he granted after consideration OF
the circumstances or tho individual
case in which they arise, and when The
military situation is such that they
can be granted without too great dis
rupiion and disorganization OF the
army or OF any particular organization
of the army.
"As to further means TO protect agri-
culture a new regulation has been pro-
muiGated authorizing agricultural stu
dents in their senio: year in land
grant colleges 10 enlist in the Enlisted
Reserve Corps of the quarterma stcr's
department provided their class stand
ing is such as to place them in the
upper third Of their class. Ey this
means IL will be possible TO defer the
draft call OF such young mon IN order
10 enable them to perfect themselves
as asriculturaiists and therea fter 10
protect them in such services as 1t may
seem that they should perform in the
best interests OF the nation.
1.-The whole industrial and aEricul-
tural situation is being subjected to
very comprehensive study in order TO
discover any means that may be taken
to protect and augment the labor sup
ply a.ppurtenant to industry and agri-
nlt,1S . ba