Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1917 — Premier Urges Canada to Open Draft Service. [ARTICLE]

Premier Urges Canada to Open Draft Service.

Ottawa, Ont, Miay 18.—Compulsory military service on a selective basis to raise immediately at least 50,000, and probably 100,000 mea% to make good the wastage in the Canadian .army corps in France was proposed to parliament late today by Sir Robert Borden, the premier, who returned from England last Tuesday. The prime minister declared that every man ih the country had been given the opportunity, under the voluntary enlistment plan, to do his duty to the country and to the cause. Under his plan Canada had done well, ne said. There had been dispatched 326,000 men for the Canadian force across the Atlantic. Including British, French and others reservists, not less than 360,000 men had gone from Canada for over-seas military service. But more are needed, Sir Robert announced. There were under arms enough men to supply reinforcemnts to keep the five Canadian army divisions up. to strength for some tune, but losses were great and provision had to be made for the future unless the five Canadian divisions ware to dwindle to four, to three and to two.