Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-03-27
TIMELY Information
ABOUT next DRAFT
PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL
GIVES CLEAR AND CONCISE
STATEMENT.
THIS IS WAR OF MECHANICS.

THIS IS WAR OF MECHANICS
No Sudden withdrawal of Men From
Ranks OF Industry and Agricul.
ture This Summer.
| The Provost Marshal General for
wards to the Governor the following
letter giving important information in
regard to the next draft, which is pub
lished for the Information and guild
ance of all concerned:
There has been a great deal of spec
ulation In the press concerning what
has been termed 'The date of the next
draft" Almost every week announce
ments have been made, and these an
nouncements, being mere guesses,
have resulted In an unrest and an
uncertainty that has been unfortun-
ate
Small Groups to Be Drawn.
AS matter Of fact the state Of pre-
paredness of the army to assimilate
recruits varies from day to day and
from week to week, and the most sci
entific manner Of recruiting the
civil life as fast as they can be as
simulated by the army, and no faster.
According to this plan, men will be
inducted into the service In very small
groups apportioned among the various
states from week to week or from
month to month as they are needed.
In order to distribute the burden
equally over the various states how
ever, it Is necessary to make arith-
metical computations of the share Of
each state, and It is not practicable to
make these computations for such
small numbers. For mere bookkeep-
ing facilities. therefore, 1t is necessary
to assume q total Of considerable
size, and to apportion it among the
several states as their immediate bur-
den. This total is called national
quota and the various shares are
called state quotas. The announce
ment OF the quota does not mean that
any such great number of men will
be called to the military service at
once, and, indeed, has no necessary
relation to the date of call for the
reason that a constantly changing
situation causes changes in the num-
ber Of men who are to be called to the
eolors.
It is unwise to attempt to make a.
forecast Of the number Of men that
will be called for immediate military
service in advance Of the development
OF the whole complex problem Of
supply and transportation. It is also
unwise to make public announcements
of specific figures which might serve
the enemy as a precise basis for de-
termining the plans for military par
ticipation of the nation In this war. st
Is necessary, however, to compose the
present unrest I. and uncertainty by
some public ann nnouncement, and Tor
this reason the following is authori-
tatively stated:
sOO,OOO ms Basis.
The next national quota will be
announced and apportioned among the
several states as soon as pending leg
islation authorizing change in the
basis OF computation is enacted by
Congress. This legislation has been
passed by the Senate and favorably
reported by the House Military Com
mittee. The number that will be as
sumed as the basis for computation
will be 100000, which is well within
the authorization Of clause 4 of sec.
tion / Of the Selective Service Act Of q
second increment of 100000 men, In
creased by the recruit training units
authorized by clause 5 Of said
section 1, and by the special and tech
nical troops authorized by section 2
of said act It cannot now be an
nounced what the total number to be
called to the colors each month will
be, but it may be stated that no more
men will be called than can be prop
erly accommodated and properly as
simulated.
Practical Active Farmers Favored.
There are difficulties confronting
the Nation in the supply of labor ap-
purtenant to agriculture. Class l.
from which new levies are to be with
drawn, will contain many more men
than are at present required for the
army. It would be most unscientiflc
and fatuous step If the men In class
were called unfortunately without,
regard to the labor situation in agri-
culture. Therefore, the local boards
will be directed to fill their quotas in
the order of liability Of men in class
as determined by the national drawing,
except, that where it is shown that a
registrant Is completely and assidu-
ously engaged in the planting, cult
vation or reaping of crop, his call
to the colors shall be deferred to the
foot of the quota Of his board as long
Z, kn hn On nyrc or
Whenever any registrant whose call
to the colors has been deferred by
reason of his engagement in agricul-
ture, is shown to have been idle on
the farm on which he is engaged OF
to have trifled with the deferment that
has been accorded him. the boards
will forthwith induct him into mill
tary service if his order number has
been reached in the meantime. The
effect of this expedient is to grant fur
loughs from service prior to actual
call to the colors to the men so great
ly needed in the production of this
years crop.
This is not, however, the only ex-
pedient that is to be adopted to con-
serve the supply of labor appurtenant
to agriculture and to mobilize all
means for increasing the harvest for
the agricultural season of 1918. There
is now pending before! Congress a bill
authorizing the Secretary of War to
grant furloughs, with or without pay,
to men in the army to enable them to
engage in industrial and AGRICULTURAL
pursuits. The purpose OF this bill is
to relieve serious situations in par
ticular instances in which men who