Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-09-05
DRAFTED men
TO Be TRAINED
BEFORE CALL
Nationwide Organization for
Preliminary Drill Launched by
National Security League
Under Sanction of Gen.
eral CroWder.

Under the sanction Of Provost Mar
| shall General Crowder. the National Sc
curity League has undertaken the or
ganization throughout the country of Il
| systematic preliminary course of train
! ing for the young men in the draft, SO
| that when they are called they will
know something of their duties and
| how TO take care of themselves.
The League has drawn up a compre-
hensive plan, which will be put In oper-
| alton in every state In the Union under
the direction of Committee on Pre-
| liminary Training and Instruction of
Men Registered for Draft" of which
SUPERINTENDENT Charles F. Stokes, O.
S. n, retired, is chairman.
crowder Approves.
| Provost Marshal General Crowder,
to whom the Security League submit
ted the idea before acting, has ap-
| proved 1t in letter TO Col Charles E.
Lydecker, President of the League, in
which he says:
|
faction. Your League can render val
liable assistance in this manner"
The Security Leagues plan will be
made effective through the PSI branch
es of the League, scattered in all parts
of the country, and subcommittee of
| SUPERINTENDENT Stokess committee
| cooperating with the Local Draft
| Boards in all the states. 1t provides
| for the organization into instruction
classes Of the men soon to be called.
to be selected by the Draft Boards, the
| actual training to be conducted by re-
| tired or disabled army officers, whose
! efforts to prepare the young men for
| service will be supplemented by local
clergymen and physicians.
| Gen. J. Franklin Bell, commandant
at Camp Upton, Is an enthusiastic sup
porter of the plan and has promised
| the Security League cooperation In
obtaining instructors for the classes In
New York City and vicinity.
"CIean, Sober Soldiers"
"The object of our endeayor will be
to make the young men understand
why they are called for service to their
country, what is to be expected Of
them and why they should be loyal,
clean, sober and intelligent soldiers"
says Surgeon-General Stokes. Outlin-
ing the operation Of the plan, he con-
tinueS:
There are three main working
points:
cd Each Local Draft Board
through it's Chairman, will select
Captain, who will procure the assem-
bly, of the regfstrants and obtain from
a local military or naval post, State
Guard or Home Defense Unit or from
retired or disabled veterans Of the
present war an adequate training Off
Ger.
"(2) The Captain will also invite a
local clergyman to give information,
instruction and advice to the young
men.
Save Time and Money
"(3) "A local physician will also in
st1-uct the young men in matters of
health, hygiene and physical well-being
in order that when they go to camp
they shall present themselves with
consciousness Of knowledge which will
add to their strength and usefulness.
"At present the vast majority Of our
young men are called to the colors I'M
trained. 1t would greatly facilitate
their being turned into soldiers and
save the government time and money
if when they are called they are pro-
vtded with some knowledge Of military
training and a sense of discipline and
organization.
"The position of local Captain, who
will supervise the work, offers one Of
the finest opportunities for patriotic
service for men Of standing In the COM
munity who are unable to get into the
trenches.
"Disoraanized Rabbie."
Under the guidance of such man,
aided by an influential local clergyman
and physician, the drafted men will go
to their environments In efficient, or
ganized bodies rather than as a disor-
ganized rabble and with a spirit Of
self-reliance and comradeship. All the
strangeness Of the new life will have
been eliminated, and, since the men
will have been taught what lies before
them, they will face duty with the con-
| fidence of familiarity.
"The military instruction will COM
| prise only the simplest evolutions, with
| particular emphasis upon military cour-
| tesy-when, where, how and whom to
salute. A general supervision Of this
| phase Of the training for uniformity
and efficiency will be conducted by the
| government military authorities. Ar
mories, public parks and squares, pub
lie school Fairgrounds, ETC., will be
utilized for the actual drilling. Drills
two or three times week Of an hours
| duration will bea'preferable to longer
| periods at less frequent intervals.
Fitted for Officers.
competitive drills will be arranged
to stimulate interest and enthusiasm.
| One Of the advantages of the plan will
be that the men who prove most prof.
Gent in the preliminary training viii
4 on chance If ho{nO ga