Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 168, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1917 — TO ORGANIZE JASPER BOYS [ARTICLE]

TO ORGANIZE JASPER BOYS

HARVEY W. WOOD TO ORGANIZE BOYS’ WORKING RESERVE IN THIS COUNTY. Trustee Harvey W. Wood has been appointed chairman of the committee on survey and organization of man power by the Jasper County Council of Defense. Mr. Wood has appointed as his helpers the several township trustees of the county together with Mr. Learning the county agricultural agent, and Attorney D. D. Dean. The first meeting of this committee will be held in Rensselaer Monday, August 6th. The governor’s proclamation in reference to this" important work is herewith published: “To the People of the State of Indiana:

“Whereas, owing to the emergency of war, thousands of men will soon be withdrawn from industrial and agricultural pursuits for military service; and, “Whereas, in modern warfare, industris must of necessity speed up production; and, “Whereas, the success with which our county prosecutes the present war is largely dependent on how much surplus food the farmers of the United States can raise; and, “Whereas, each of the above contingencies stimulates the demand for additional man-power ;and, “Whereas, investigation discloses that this demand cannot be satisfied (a) by idle labor, for all labor is employed. (b) by any surplus of physically fit adult males, for no such surplus

exists. (c) by any influx of labor from other countries, for immigration has practically ceased; and, “Whereas, the United States Department of Labor is seeking a solution of this problem, has recognized the tremendous man-power resources this country possesses in its boys, and in the exercise of its statutory power, has initiated the organization for Non-Military Service in the mills, in the factories, and on the farms, of all boys of the ages 16 to 20 years, inclusive, under the official name of the United States Boys Working Reserve; and, “Whereas, the organization, mobilization and placement of the labor to be drawn from this new reservoir will be facilitated by a complete survey of all boys eligible for the Reserve in Indiana. . “Therefore, I, James P. Goodrich, Governor of Indiana, pursuant to a resolution adopted July 25, 1917, by the Indiana State Council of Defense, do proclaim the week of August sixth to August twelfth, inclusive, as Special Enrollment and Registration Week in Indiana for the United States Boys’ Working Reserve, and do call upon all boys in this State of the age of 16 to 20 inclusive irrespective of occupation, avocative, school, color or creed, to present themselves to the enrolling officers in their respective localities, and enroll or register for such productive labor as will t>e conducive to increased efficiency of the nation in the prosecution of the vrar. _ “I appeal to the virile young manhood with the thought that every American boy at work opposes a boy in Germany, and in all seriousness remind him that he is facing a man s job, the burdens, hardships and sacrifices of which will increase as the war lengthens. “To the parent I would say that this enrollment is for non-military service, that it will not interfere with the boy’s education if he attends school, nor will it disturb him in his occupation if he is already employed and that inasmuch as your written request for his furlough or discharge must be immediately granted, he is still amenable to parental control. “To the people of the state of Indiana, I most heartily recommend the work of this Reserve as a permanent contribution to our economic forces and exprss the desire that the service to the state and nation rendered by these boys should be regarded by the public as just as useful and patriotic within the limits of the opportunity afforded, as the service rendered by the soldier in tne trenches. In that spirit you should lend your co-operation. In Witness Whreof, I have hereunto set my hand and the great sal of In Done at the Capitol, Indianapolis, this 27th day of July, 191 7 - JAMES P. GOODRICH/ Governor.