Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-16
Consumption Bill
Signed by President;
Registration Oct. Is
Roosevelt Sets Day
For Enrolling Men
Under New Law
BULLETIN.

President Roosevelt today
signed the Compulsory Military
CONSUMPTION Act and set October
16 as the day for registration for
draft service.
The Nations first peacetime con-
scription law will 60 into effect to-
day with the signature by President
Roosevelt of the Burke Wadsworth
bill, passed by Congress Saturday.
The history making legislation will
be signed at pm. in the White
House cabinet room in the presence
of Chairmen Sheppard and May of
the Senate and House Military AZ
fairs Committees. Secretary Of War
Stinson and Gen. George c. Mar
shall. Army chief of staff.
At the same time. President Roose-
welt probably will issue a proclama-
ton and an executive order putting
the draft into effect, Stephen Early,
White House press secretary, said.
The President also may make public
IAN ABC explanatory statement" of
the purposes and methods of opera
ton of the draft law.
1t was indicated the proclamation
will fix the date when 16,500000 men
between the ages of 81 and 35. inclu-
sive, will be required to register for
military service.
Holiday Plan Rejected.
Mr.. Early said a movement. started
throughout the country to make
registration day a national holiday
has been definitely rejected by the
President, because it would throw
business and industry out of gear
and men would be thrown out of
work for the day"
Mr.. Early also announced that
Wythe Williams, radio commenta-
tor, has agreed to comply with a
request by President Roosevelt to
organize a group of commentators
into a weekly round-table to dis
Seminate reports on national de-
Tense" Mr.. Williams visited the
White House Saturday and has re-
turned to New York to form the
organization
An announcement made through
the White House with the approval
of the Secretary Of War and chief
of staff indicated the War Depart
ment, as a part of the CONSUMPTION
and National Guard mobilization
plan, would organize several new
colored regiments and other organi-
cations and bring all existing COL
ored military units to war strength.
The order ,affects both combat and
service organizations of the Regu-
lar Army and National Guard, such
as infantry, cavalry, artillery, quar-
termaster corps and engineers.
Plans for Colored Units.
1t was pointed out that coiored
citizens constitute about 9 per cent
of the total population of the United
States and that they will be in
Quoted into the Federal military
service in about the same proper
ton, which would mean that of the
100000 men to be conscripted this
year, approximately $4,000 will be
colored men.
Among the colored Regular Army
outfits in the vicinity of Washington
ordered built up to war strengths
are the 10th Cavalry, the machine
gun troop of which is at Fort MyeI,
Va; the School Detachment at the
Detachment at Fort Belvoir, Va.
Among recently-organized new
colored outfits is Chemical War;
fare Company at Fort Eustis, Va.
In all there are 81 celored organ
izations in the Regular Army, which
will be brought to war strength.
Among the colored National Guard
organizations to be called into Fed
eral service and recruited to full
strength is the 372d Infantry, scat
tered through the District of Column
bia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York
and Massachusetts,.
Shortly after passage of the meas
ure the President requested $1,733,-
100000 in direct appropriations and
$207, 100000 in contract authority,
largely to pay the cost of conscrip-
ton and National Guard mobiliza-
ton. A House Appropriations Sub
committee scheduled hearing to-
day on the request, but called 1t of
because of the death Of Speaker
Bankhead.
War Department officials indi-
Gated today the first registration
date under the draft law probably
7see CONsCRTPTION page A-3)