Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-21

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 17-An organiza-
wv tion which year ago existed only in the
minds of half dozen men and now reaches
out from Washington to every part of the United
States, and its possessions; national employment
agency a year old, which has now placed in service
100000 with prospects of placing three
million more in another year-such is the division
of the department known the department OF
the provost marshal general, which handles all the
work connected with the draft until the men sum-
moned actually in camp.
1t was on May 49, 1917 that President Wilson
signed the selective service act. Six weeks after
the declaration of America had taken the step
to which England more than year in coming,
and which the north did not adopt until the civil
war had been in progress for two years. All over
the country there were gloomy prophecies that
CONSUMPTION in America would be a failure ana that
registration day only d small percentage of the
nations young manhood would enroll foE service.
But the results have amply justified the fore
sight of those who realized that in conflict suCn
as the present the whole lower of the nation must
be modified without stint hesitation. The man
hood of America responded promptly to the call,
and old army officers say the drafted man is max
ing fine a soldier as has ever fought America
battles. Drafted men are already in the trenches,
have borne their share of recent heavy fighting and
have taken German prisoners. Before King George
in London May IL, five trainloads OF them
marched in review their way to France LLOYD
George prime minister of England, has said that
the outcome of the depends largely on the
work of the selective of America theirs is the
Here in Washington, at the office of Provost,
Marshal Enoch NJ Crowder, all the work connected
with the draft is centralized Not in existence
a year ago, today this office is probably the most
perfectly organized branch of the war department
General Crowder and his staff have never received
wide publicity for their gigantic work. neither
have pages of the newspapers ever been filled with
accusations and charges that their department had
broken down. They have not been harangued by
investigating committees they have not been called
before congress to spend valuable time in explain
ing the expenditures of vast sums of money. The
total appropriations for the provost marshal gen.
only ninteen million dollars and of this sum, Gen
eral Crowder informed congress the other day,
million dollars is still unspent because 5000
local boards have done their work at their own
expense
This does not mean that mistakes have been
made, and that in year of operation the policy
governing the draft has never undergone change.
But it does mean, what is really higher praise,
that when the provost marshal general has real
lied that to meet changing situation new meth
DDS must be adopted, necessary adjustments have
been made without delay or hesitation.
Much unfair criticism has been leveled at the
army officers who are forced to stay in Washing
ton in charge of administrative work, and the
bright saving of Uncle joe Cannon, who re-
marked that he supposed these officers wear spurs
to keep their feet from slipping off their desk
tons has gone the round of the country. But II
you could walk through the draft headquarters
in the old land office building in Washington and
talk to the officers in charge you would discover
that the life of at least a few of these swivel
chair officers" is by means a bed OF roses.
There is no room for spurred boots on the top or
a desk piled with plans for special calls or requ1-
sitions states, which must be apportioned by