The Wahpeton times., 1918-09-26
DRAFTED men
TO Be TRAINED
y. Before CALL
Nationwide Organization fol
Preliminary Drill Launched by
National N; Security League
Under Sanction of Gen.
eral Cro"sIer.

Under the sanction of Provost Mar.
shal General Crowder, the National Sc
curity League has undertaken the or.
ganization throughout the country Of a
systematic preliminary course Of train.
ing for the young men in the draft, 50
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 a COMMITTEE on Pre-
liminary Training and Instruction Of
Men Registered for Draft" Of which
Surgeon-G General Charles F. Stokes. d.
8. n. retired, is chairman.
crowder Approves.
Provost Marshal General Crowder,
to whom the Security League submit
ted the idea before acting, has ap-
proved it in letter to Col. Charles e.
Lydecker, President of the League, in
which he says:
"Your proposal gives me great satis-
faction. Your League can render val
liable assistance in this manner"
The Security Leagues plan will be
made effective through the 2S1 branch
es of the League, scattered in all parts
of the country, and subcOmmittees Of
SurgeOn-General StOkes's 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 ply eicians.
Gen. ]. 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.
SS
''The object Of our endeavor 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" F"
says SurgeOn-General Stokes. Outlin-
ing the operation Of the plan, he con-
tinues:
"There are three main working
points:
"(D Each Local Draft Board,
through its Chairman, will select a
Captain, who will procure the assem-
bly, of the registrants and obtain from
local military or naval post, State
Guard or Home Defense Unit or from
retired Or disabled veterans of the
present war an adequate training Otfi-
Ger.
"(2) The Captain will also invite q
local clergyman to give information,
instruction and advice to the young
men.
Save Time and Money.
"(3) A local physician will also in
struct the young men in matters Of
health, hygiene and physical well-being
in order that when they so to camp
they shall present themselves with a
consciousness of knowledge which will
add to their strength and usefulness.
cat present the vast majority Of our
t,I tn
trained. 1t would greatly facilitate
their being turned into soldiers and
save til" government &c aid none"
if when .l!,. eve ral'ed they are pro-
yided with spnie knowledge of military
training and sense Of discipline and
organization.
"fhe 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.
"Disorganized RabbIe."
"Under the guidance of such a man,
aided by an influential local clergyman
and physician, the drafted men will go
to their cantOnments in efficient, OF.
eanized bodies rather than as diser.
ganized rabble and with 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-whcn, where, how and whom to
salute. \ general supervision of this
phase of the training for uniformity
and efficiency will be conducted by the
government military authorities. Ar
mories, public puYks 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 be preferable to longer
periods at less frequent intervals.
Fitted for Officers.