Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1918 — TEACHERS ASKED TO GIVE SERVICE [ARTICLE]

TEACHERS ASKED TO GIVE SERVICE

Provost Marshal Wants Them to Gather Data for the War Department. NEED SKILLED MEN FOR ARMY Information Required Is to Be Taken From Questionnaires of Drafted Men—Artisans to Be Picked From All Sections. Washington. The government through the provost marshal’s office is .undertaking to organize a volunteer army of school teachers throughout the entire land, so as to secure an efficient industrial army to stand behind the men with guns in their hands and enable the United States to fight the great war to a successful conclusion. It Is a very big undertaking and like many of the efforts put forth by the government at this time much depends upon the voluntary assistance of loyal and patriptic people. The matter has been taken up with President Wilson and he has expressed the opinion that the school teachers of America, those who are now engaged in teaching the children of the country patriotism, will come to the aid of the government.

In order to enforce the selective draft system the country was organized with 5,000 local boards to pass upon the returns which the selected men made. In the office of each local board, comprising the district which the board controls, are the answers to the questionnaires of something like a total of 10,000,000 men. About 1,500,000 have already been selected for the fighting forces of the National army, but there remain in various. classes men who could be extremely useful to the government on account of the knowledge and skill which they have attained in their daily occupations. It is necessary for the ' provost marshal’s office at Washington to obtain information as to the qualification, experience and adaptability of these men to the work which is necessary in connection witl) the war. Pershing Needs Skilled Men.

For instance, not long ago General Pershing wanted 1.000 bricklayers. He wanted them not as civilians, but as soldiers. He needed them for particular work which was to be done for the support of the army in France. Then again there was a call for 5.000 spruce lumbermen; that is, men who had a knowledge of the lumbering and logging business, who could go into the woods and get the spruce lumber necessary to make airplanes. Then there is a call for motor mechanics, and for men skilled in many other lines of industry who as soldiers will perform as great a service in supporting the army at the front as will those men who are working industriously for the government all along the line in order to make the fighting forces effective. ■ f '

Now the provost marshal’s office Is in need of the information that Is on file in the offices of the various local boards, and the only way this information can he obtained Is through the voluntary assistance of some particular class of people. It has been decided that the school teachers of the 1 country by giving a little of their time each day to the work can obtain from the local boards the information which the provost marshal must have in order to secure the classification of the men s* as to make up the various lists that are necessary to make the army the great machine which it Is designed to be. Get Facts From Questionnaire. In order to get this information millions of cards have been printed and sent to the various local boards, upon which is to be copied from the questionnaires on file with the hoards the necessary information respecting each individual selected man that the provost marshal’s office desires. Upon this card the man will he classified according to the findings of the local hoard, but, the important feature will be his classification as to occupation and skill in any particular profession, trade or industry; his familiarity with tools and instruments, or other kinds of work. It will make no difference what his occupation may be, the information concerning the man will be put upon the card and these cards sent to the provost marshal in Washington. It is proposed to classify at least 3.000,000 men who will be available for service in the United States as soldiers. They will be put in uniform and subject to the same discipline as the other selected men. Instead of being trained with guns and for fighting, they will be trained for particular duty that is needed: It is the intention of the provost marshal’s office to make the selection of men for these industries so as to cause the least possible disturbance among workingmen, or in the industries of the country. The selections will be made from all sections of the country and' In such a manner as to cause the least trouble. The greatest difficulty which the provost marshal’s office has experienced in connection with this work is that of obtaining the information on file with the various local boards. The officers believe, however, that the solutiot of the difficulty will be found in the voluntary assistance of the school teachers throughout the country.