Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-03-27

In winch IHey aElSo nAu WAO WAOAA ."1S.s sAA ~-A'r,5 ~
itary situation is such that they can
be granted without too great dtsrup-
tion and disorganization OF the army
Or OF any particular organization OF
the army.
The whole industrial and agricul-
tmral situation Is being subjected 70
very comprehensive study in order 70
discover any means that may be taken
ia protect and augment the labor
supply appurtenant to industry ana
agriculture without precluding the
prompt and orderly progress OF our
military plans. It Is confldently pc
-lieved that great progress can De
made along this line and that more
effective measures than any yet de-
yised can be put into operation TO at
tain the desired end
A War Of Mechanics.
It must be emphasized that this IS
4 war Of mechanics. The need OF the
several armed forces for men highly
skilled in technical and mechanical
pursuits is greater than in any former
war. Yet this need for specially
skilled men finds the nation under q
necessity Of increasing its production
in almost every line Of industry.
Withdrawals of men from industry
must be made and these Withdrawals
must take men who might otherwise
he deferred on account of their special
qualifications and skill. The neces-
sary numbers Of such skilled men
will he obtained in one of three ways.
First, men already in military service
who have such. special skill will be
taken from the line regiments and as
signed to the staff organizations anu
departments where their skill is need
ed. Second, men classified by the Sc
lection Boards, even though they may
have been placed in a deferred class
ification. will be withdrawn with great
care and particularly from the In
dustries of the nation for special SER
vice in the staff corps and depart
ments. Third, young men OF draft
age with certain educational quar-
fications will be inducted into the SER
vice and sent to universities, colleges
and technical and secondary schools
to be Instructed in technical arts un-
| til they have acquired such proficiency
as will Justify their assignment to
I the special units that are being or
ganized in considerable numbers,
In accordance with this plan, the
Provost Marshal General has already
called upon the states for some 10000
skilled artisans and will shortly call
upon the states for some 10000 young
men, graduates of grammar schools,
who will be sent before the first OF
April to various technical and other
schools throu ghout the United States
for q two months course of train
ing. Regularly thereafter an increas-
ing stream of selected men will be
sent through educational and other
training institutions for this purpose
To sum up, it may be said that
there will be no sudden withdrawal
Of great numbers of men from the
ranks of industry and agriculture
during the coming summer, but that
men will be drawn in relatively small
groups throughout the year in such
a way as to create the least possible
interference with industry and agri-
culture. Men in deferred classes as
well as men in class / will be selected
In small numbers either on account
of their special technical qualifica-
tions or for the purpose Of sending
them to schools where they will be
given an opportunity to acquire such
qualifications. Respectfully,
GUY e. LOGAN,
The Adjutant General.
Z. .H Z a L a. . r a. .