El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-05-24
DRAWING MEN
FOR THE ARMY
Great Difference Now and
in Civil War; Napoleon
ORIGINATED Idea.
By FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.

.
{ gauization which o year ago existed
only in she minds Of half dozen men
and now reaches out from Washington
/ to every part Of the United States and
Its possessions a national employment
agency a year old. which has now
placed in service 100000 men with
I prospects OF placing 100000 more in
| another year-such is the division Of
the war department known as the de-
partment Of the provost marshal gem
eral. which handles all the work con-
nected with the draft until the men
summoned are actually in camp.
Tt was on May is. 1917. that presi-
dent Wilson signed the selective serV-
Ice act Six weeks after the declara-
ton Of war America had taken the
step to which England was more than
year in coming, and which this
country did not adopt until the
civil war had been in progress /
for two years. All over the country
there were gloomy prophecies that
Z "conscrlptiOn' in America would be a
failure and that on registration day
only small percentage of the ma
TONS young manhood would enrol for
service.
But the results have amply justified
the foresight Of those who realized I
that in a conflict such as the present :
I the whole power Of the nation must I
be modified without stint or hesita- I
tion.
some Of the Problems.
The office of the provost marshal I
general is entirely different from any I
other branch OF the war department 7
Gen Crowder and his staff must think |
In such terms as machinists and farm
ers ship Wrights and dentists. car I
penters and wireless operators Not ]
only is the modern army a highly ]
specialized organization, where the I
majority Of men must be skilled in ]
other things than the handling of /
bomb OF bayOnet, but great care must I
be taken not TO dislocate the indus
tries and farms which feed and supply Z
the army and provide the second line I
OF defence Every effort is being made 4
to fit the right man in the right place D
and to take none for military service
who would be more valuable in his 1
work at home.
The Industrial. agricultural and I
military classif icatiou Of reEistrants,
which is being worked out under the
direction Of Gen. CrOWder for this pur-
pose has been the source Of a very 4
annoying misCOnceptiOn in the public
mind Hearing that the government
Is Classifying regIstrauts, thousands
or people whose relatives and friends
have left home and disappeared. are
writing TO the provost marshal gen
eral describing the lost one In the be-
lief and expectation that Uncle sam
has him listed and viii Immediately I
forward his latest address. Every DAY !
hundreds Of these letters are received /
in washington While the govern
ment has check on every reglstraut
and VIII call him when his services
are needed. draft headquarters were
never intended as a detective agency
for missing relatives.
Now and In Civil War.
Comparison or the working out or
the draft in the present and in the
civil war forms an interesting con-
trast between methods OF now and
then After two years Of unsuccessful
war with the Coufederacy, the gov
eminent decided to follow the exam
uls set By the slave states and In
March 1858. the CONSUMPTION act was
passed by congress Two months were
then consumed I'm building up a mill
tary machine 90 administer the law
and enrol the local boards. It required
four more months 70 complete the reg
isrrarion. during which time there
were serious riots due 20 the unfair
ness Of the law which permitted rich
man TO buy himself out Of service by
furnishing q substitute
Eighteen days after the passage OF
the selective service act of 1917, 1000
local boards had been appointed Be
tween sunrise and sunset OF the 18th
day June 5, 1917, practically every
male fin the United States within the
prescribed ages had registered for
military service, the number totalling
9,5S6.50S, equal 90 the entire pOpula-
ton Of the ConfederaCy I'm 1891.
Napoleon Originated Il.
Napolen, thirsting FOR world con-
quest. must bear responsibility for the
system which makes every man of
military age liable 20 military service
In 1898 the first couscription law was
passed by France. Prussia took up
the idea in 1908. introducing universal
military training, largely for the pur-
pose Of resisting French aggression
The system has never lapsed in Prus-
sia. and its development is generally
regarded as ehief cause o. the pres
eur struggle.