The Elbert County tribune., 1919-01-10

operated during this grave biennial
period and yet at no time has our Ma
tional Guard exceeded 575 men, and
as rapidly >. sound judgment has per,
mitted. the force has been reduced until
IL now numbers little more than nifty
men, To no point has more than TWEEN
ty guitrdsmen been sent. and this to do
brfdgdlfor funnel. and at no time has
a man Been sent except through a law
tiles of counties and the request Of the
citizens. further, never except to pro-
tect against supposed alien enemies.
THE sELECrIyE SERVICE.
The selectiye service law was to be
put into effect The state was divided
|. by the governor into two federal dis
tricts. Two district boards - Denver
PuebIo--each five members, appellate
and certain original jurisdiction, were
appointed. Sixty-seven local exemp-
ton boards were also appointed and
organized named by hthc governor
provost marshal was selected. hav-
ing supervision Of the selectiye serv-
ice. Through the selective service law
over 10000 of various nationalities
were submitted for registration: over
$4,000 were selected: over 10000 were
lndueted into the federal service. 4
most delicate and responsible trust had
these various boards. Many a man
who served came from the quieter and
simpler walks of life. Temptation
great In passing upon the questions OF
exemption. and yet no member Of this
entire selective service force has ever
been removed for disloyalty. fraud or
tial charge has ever been laid against
any member of this effective force.
The state and the nation owes them
a debt OF gratitude. 1t was this sys-
tenn that gave to our army Most
OF these men gave their service without
finaneial compensation.
SO efficient was the provost marshal
first named that he was called TO
Washington for higher service and ms
successor had not gone far upon his
way until he was called to Washington
into consultation and for advice as TO
the great work that is stili before this
department.
draft, the Nationn! Guard and volun-
tary enlistments. has given to the army
and navy of the American Union over
10000 men. No state has done more.
NATIONAL GUARD.
When the call Of the President came
to mobilize the National Guard the
out calling the Guard one month before
1t was to go into federal service. Every
man responded and some 5000 We're
gathered in the mobilization camps
Camp Gunter at Pueblo and Camp
Baldwin Mt Denver. Unlforms. under
wear. blankets and other equipment
chased at from SO to 100 per cent less
than they could have been obtained
forty five days later The men were
drilled, put into good condition as to
health. and, on the date that the Pres
ident had named-August the 5th-
We're turned over in superb condition
has done better by it's soldiery; no sol
diery has reflected more honor upon
their state and nation.
The mobilization of the National
Guard. its equipment, all aid given to
the selective draft and the maintenance
Of the protection requested by the
President. for this biennial period, VIII
cost the state when payments are
completed by the national government,
approximately 100000. When we real
ize that the state paid out in our do
nestle troubles Of 1908 and 1904 $780,
200. with 100 lives lost and millions of
dollars in property destroyed, and that
in the like troubles of 1914 the state
paid out over $4,000. many lives lost.
millions Of dollars in property de-
stroyed and business interrupted aud
then contrast this condition with how
little is the outlay that even inter-
national war may bring upon us when
our people are ueting harmoniously
how much 1t means for our people to
act as they have throughout this strug-
gle in loyal and effective harmony.
More than dollars and cents-infinitely
more=is the good feeling that has OBJ
tanned among our people
In meeting all of these war expenses
no direct tax has been laid upon the
people. except less than one-quarter of
mill, or about $40 upon the 100000
for the year 1918. The war expenses
have been met by the flat tax upon
corporations. By this tax the inter-
est upon bonds was to be paid and n
redemption fund provided; SI60.000 of
flat tax all Interest has been paid and
si25,000 paid on the principal sum. The
principal sum will be rapidly re-
deemed from this flat tax provision
The state has met promptly all obllga-
tions--hnd many long outstanding.
sixty thousand dollars was owing the
cial Improvement taxes. This just debt
has been paid. For years we have been
Indebted to the military department of
the federal government for supplies .
some friction between the state gov
ernment and the national This amount
was investigated. reduced to the proper
amount, less than $4,000. and promptly
paid. There has been no complete in
ventory of the military property of the
state. The last inventory showed ap-
proximately $4,000. The property has
been looked up. titles cured. and now
careful inventory, with no large in
crease in such property, shows the
military property of the state at
Tie balance due for the mobiliza-
tion of 1916, 100000 has been paid
With great difficulty vouchers have
been secured and the claims of the
state for the balance due from the fed
eral government for this mobilization
are approaching payment
We know now every dollars worth
of property that the military depart
ment owns and are maintaining n
close accounting for all supplies re-
ceived from the federal government
which viii avoid great loss in the
future.
In this record of the patriotic efforts
of our people. may l turn for a fur
ther word to those in private life? Be-
fore the bonds provided were ready
for the market it was necessary to pay
off our soldiery before they were
mustered into the federal service. Ger
tificates of indebtedness might have
upon the market This would have
involved, as has occurred in the past
sales at heavy discount. with loss to
the soldiery and discredit to the state
Three of the members of the Council
of Defense were called in and, after
conference with the governor, state
treasurer, auditor and attorney gem
eral. $350,000 was promptly furnished
and the obligations met without a cent
of discount to the soldiers or to the
state.
Various calls were made upon the
private citizen. At the first Red Cross
call s1,429.250 was subscribed at the
second call s1,925.634.S3. In the first