The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-12
NEXT DRAFT OF
100000 MEN
CONTINUED from page H.

tional quota and the various shares
are called state quotas. The an
| nouncement of the quota does not
mean that any such great number OF
| men will be called to military service
/ at once and, indeed, has no neces-
! sary relation to the date OF call FOR
| the reason that constantly changing
situation causes changes in the num-
| Der of men who are to be called 10
| the colorS.
| at is unwise to attempt to make
| a forecast of the number OF men that
will be called for immediate military
| service in advance of the develop
ment of the whole complex problem
of supply and transportation. 1t is
also unwise to make public announce
ments of specific figures which might
serve the enemy as a precise basis
for determining military participation
Of the nation in this war. 1t is neces-
sary, however, to compose the pres
emit unrest and uncertainty by some
public announcement and for this
reason the following is authoritative
ly stated.
1.-THE new national quota will be
announced and apportioned among
the several states as soon as pending
legislation authorizing a change in
the basis of computation is enacted
by congress. This legislation has
been passed by the senate and favor
ably reported by the house military
committee. The number that Will be
assumed as basis for computation
will be 100000, which IS well within
the authorization of clause four, Sec
ton one, of the selective service act
of second increment of 100000 men,
90, I,- fIA
units authorized by clause five OF
section one and by the special and
technical troops authorized by section
two of the said act. 1t cannot now
be announced what the total number
to be called to the colors each month
will be, but it may be stated that no
more men will be called than can be
properly accommodated and promptly
asS;milated.
There are difficulties confronting
the nation in the supply of labor ap-
purtenant to agriculture. Class one,
from which new levies are to be
drawn, will contain more men than
are at present required for the army.
1t would be most unscientific and
fatuous step if the men in class one
were called indiscriminately without
regard to the labor situation in agri-
culture. Therefore, the local boards
will be directed to fill their quotas in
! the order of liability of men in class
! one as determined by the national
! drawing, except that, where 1t Is
shown that a registrant is completely
! and assiduously engaged in the plant
/ ing, cultivation or reaping OF crop,
| his call to the colors shall be de-
| ferred to the foot of the quota of his
Nd Ha Onp IN
SO engaged.
Whenever any registrant whose
call to the colors has been deferred
by reason of his engagement in agri-
cultural enterprise is shown to have
been idle on the farm on which he is
engaged or to have trified with the
deferment that has been accorded
him, the boards will forthwith induct
him into military service If his order
number had been reached in the
meantime. The effect of this expedi-
ent Is TO grant furloughs from service
prior to actual call to the colors to
the men SO greatly needed in the
production of this years crop.
This is not, however, the only
expedient that is to be adopted to
conserve the supply of labor apurten-
ant to agriculture and to mobilize all
means for increasing the harvest for
the agriculture session of 1918. There
is now pending before congress a bill
authorizing the secretary of war TO
grant furloughs, with or without pay
to men in the army to enable them
! to engage in industrial and agricul-
tural pursuits. The purpose of this
bill is to relieve serious situations in
particular instances in which men
who are the mainstay of farms have
! been indicted into the service either
through voluntary enlistment or Sc
lection and whose services during
the present emergency in agriculture
are needd. These furloughs will be
granted after consideration of cir
cumstance OF individual case
without too great disruption and dis
organization of army or any particu-
} lar organization OF the army.
"As to further means to protect
agriculture new regulation has
been promulgated authorizing agricul-
ture students in their senior year to
land grant colleges to enlist in the
enlisted reserve corps OF the quarter
master department provided their
class standing Is such as to place
them in the upper third OF their class.
BY this means it would be possible
to defer the draft call of such young
men in order to enable them to per-
feet themselves as agriculturalists
and thereafter to protect them in
such service IS it may seem that
they should perform in the best in
terest OF the nation.
IL must be emphasized that this
is war of mechanics. The need Of
several armed forces for men highly
skilled in technical and mechanical
pursuits is greater than in any for
mer war.
Withdrawals Of men from industry
must be made and these Withdrawals
must take men who might otherwise
be deferred on account of their special
qualifications and Skill. The neces-
sary numbers OF such skilled men will
/ be obtained in one of three ways: