The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-08-03

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at this camp which means $4,000 mer
and the addition of more land to the
government reservation and the
erection Of more barracks to accom-
modate the soldiers and officers.
Short Time In Camp.
"In and out again." characterizes
the progress of the drafted man ir
Camp Lewis, unless he is picked and
placed on some officers personne
or assigned to special duty some.
where in the camp. After three
weeks in camp during which time
the three inoculations and some
drilling have been given, the drafted
man, now a private, is ready fol
transfer and by the time that the
three weeks quarantine is lifted, he
is transferred out Of camp to some
cantonment where a division is un-
der organization. Some Of the pri-
Yates never get to see Seattle or Ia
coma. Thousands OF men have
passed in and out Of this camp dur
ing the last two months. Not only
does the government move its SOL
diers with such rapidity, but it's Of
ficers as well. One week a COM
pany finds itself acquainted with 8
certain set Of officers and the next
week an entirely new set.
Only Fighting Men Wanted.
The United States army now
wants only fighting mn and limited
service men. This is shown in the
total reflections in the draft which
reported, beginning June "a, and fin
ished July l. They totaled 1,433, &C
cording to official figures. The per-
centage is 1872, an increase over that
Of the last draft. Eleven thousand
seven hundred and twenty-four were
accepted out Of 1857 who reported
Most of the reflections were caused
by failure Of the local board ex-
aminers to again examine the men
under the new regulations in regard
to height, the minimum now be-
ing #. in, instead of #. 1 in.
These regulations went into effect
June Is and the men had been ex-
amtned previously. When war was
declared the minimum height for en-
trance into the army was #.
inches. Next to a lack Of sufficient
height, ear diseases was the high
est contributing factor in the num-
ber of reflections. Fifteen thousand
men are scheduled to arrive in the
camp, commencing today and until
August l.
OF late local draft boards who fail
to do their duty in considering
ton, telling them they can be dis
charged after they reach camp, have
been scored Iby members of the
camp exemption board who declared
that many men sent to this camp
could and should have been exempt
ed, and are now without relief be-
cause Of the stringent regulations,
after they have reported for duty.
Under the select service act, drafted
men should be given an opportunity
to make their claims before their
local board, camp officials say.
These men are not given, the la.ti-
tude to which they are entitled. If
the men are sent to camp and make
their claims before the camp exemp-
ton board whether or not there is
actual suffering on the part of the
dependents of the drafted man, is
the only cause to be considered. The
failure of the board to give the man
his full right was brought before
the board when man from Utah
asked for exemption, saying he had
a wife and four children, the eldest
seven years. Under the compulsory
allotment, and with the separation
allowance which his wife will re-
oetve from the government, she will
get $3.50 a month. He said his in
and that he added to his income by
farming, but members said the local
board should have exempted him in
stead of telling him to wait until he
was ordered to report.
Outlawed First Papers No Bar.
These camp officials add that out
laWed first papers are not bar to
service for drafted men. There have
been a number Of applicants for ex-
emption who have said they were
not subject to military duty, their
naturalization papers, commonly
known as first papers" having been
years allowed them to make final
claim they, did not do so. The po-
sttion taken by the military author
tiles is that men who enjoy the priv
ileges extended by employers to de-
Clarants should be obliged to feel
lthe responsibility which they owe
the country where they have en-
Joyed the opportunities given them.
This Is the same view that County
Auditor w. r. Tucker Of Fargo,
maintained since foreigners started
to swamp his office to get exempt
ed on such grounds.
Entertaining the Soldiers.
Military Tacoma and Seattle open
their homes and clubs to the SOL
diers. No longer is the man in uni-
form considered a 'rough-neck" for
the draft has taken some of the best
men in every branch Of life. The SOL
diers find entertainment in their
own ranks and again in the cities.
Just the other night it was learned
at barracks dance, that a private.