New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-04-09
602 MEN DRAFTED
FROM THIS COUNTY
REP ORT OF LOCAL SELECTIVE
SERVICE BOARD SENT
TO WASHINGTON
M SHORT RESUME OF ACTIVITY
DURING TWENTY MONTHS
OF EXISTENCE

es5Dn order from Washington, the Brown
: County SeIective Service board finished
is work on March 20, 1919. On that
day all the records of the local board
were shipped to the office OF the Provost
Marshal General at Washington.
Twenty-one cases of records, weighing
close to 1000 pounds were carefully
packed, sealed and boxed and delivered
to the railroad company for transporta-
ton to the capital, where they will be
stored.
Total 602.
The total number of men sent to camps
and who enlisted from Brown county
is COZ, according to a statement gwen
out by Herman F. Jahnke, former chief
clerk of the local board. But it must be
remembered that a great number Of
men went into the service Of their country
who were not obliged to register, either
because they were under the draft age
or over same, or who were members OF
the National Guard in service on the
day of registration Thus safe guess
on the total Of Brown County's fighters
AN easily be placed between 750 and
500 men.
Classification of Men.
The total number of registrants from
Brown county is given by Mr.. Jahnke
as 1921, while COZ of those were actually
sent. to p different army camps.
The First Step.
Altho the SeIective Service act had
not yet become a law, under date OF
May s, 1917, at the request of the
authorities in Washington the adjutant
Generals office sent a letter to the
Sheriff of each county in the state, ex-
planning as much as was possible con-
corning the proposed law. Each OF
these sheriffs was requested to maintain
absolute secrecy in the matter in order
that premature publicity might not be
given.
Two Others in addition to the sheriff,
were requested to be named to act as
members of the local SIeective Service
board. The names of these men were
80 be furnished the Adjutant Generals
office Immediately and recommends
ton was also to be made regarding the
selection of registration place in each
voting precinct in the county.
The first board for Brown county
under this law consisted Of Sheriff W. J.
Julius as executive officer, County
Auditor L. G.. Vogel as clerk and DR..
Geo. B. Weiser as examining physician.
Covers 500 Miles.
The work of appointing registrars for
each precinct in this county, the engaging
of the halls and schools for the regis
tration places was undertaken by Sheriff
Julius and Auditor Vogel. Three days
were required for this work, Sheriff
Julius covering the Whole county in his
car. Altho the regulations governing
the registration were sent out in ample
time, and the authorities at Washing
ton had used all means in their power
to have them as accurate as possible,
a lot of changes and corrections had to
he made in them. These were sent out
TO the different boards by telegram, and
the local boards in turn had to send a
COPY of them to each registrar of the
different precincts. To accomplish this
it was found necessary by the Local
board to again call the Sheriff's car
into service, and before everything was
in readiness Sheriff Julius had covered
over 800 miles in this county with his
car.
The first registration day. was set
by Presidential proclamation for June 5,
1917. On that date all males then in
the United States were required to
present themselves at the proper regis
t1ation places for the first step in becom-
ing liable for military service.
Minnesota registered on June 5, 1917
total of 1888 men, and Brown County
was credited with 1918.
Rapid absorption into the army
of the registrants Of the class Of 1917,
caused an additional registration to
be held on June 5, 1918, on which date
this county registered 1873. Again on
August "a, 1918, another registration
was held, giving this county an addition
al43 men. The age limits were changed
to is and As. September IL, 1918 was
the date set for the registration Of these
men. Nothing like it had ever been seen
before in the history Of the United States.
Father and son stood in line together
to declare themselves on the question