A great day of patriotic devotion and obligation” – President Woodrow Wilson
“A great day of patriotic devotion and obligation” – President Woodrow Wilson
Tuesday June 5, 1917 – one hundred years ago today – was the day that approximately 325,000 Michigan men registered for the military draft in their hometowns across the state. 130,000 men in Detroit were joined by another 10,000 men from surrounding suburbs in filling out their draft registration cards during the hours of 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. By the end of that day, 10.5 million men had been registered nationwide (this initial estimate would later prove to be 9.5 million).
That day was unlike any other in our nation’s short history. It would resemble a national election day, but one with an even greater significance. In Detroit, the morning began with the din of ringing church bells and shrieking factory whistles. Ford Motor Company and many other manufacturers closed their doors that Tuesday to facilitate the registration process – and required their draft-eligible workers to show their registration certificates when they arrived for work on Wednesday. Fears of widespread anti-draft protests proved to be unfounded in Detroit, perhaps because 200 Spanish-American war veterans had been deputized to assist the 1,200 members of Detroit police department in keeping the peace and rounding up the “slackers”.
All men who were 21 through 30 years old on June 5, 1917 were required by law to register for the draft. It didn’t matter if they were native-born or foreign-born, single or married, healthy or disabled, they needed to carry proof of registration by 9:00 PM that evening. Only those men who were already in the military were exempted from registration. Later on, local exemption boards would review the circumstances of each registrant and determine if and when they would receive a draft notice.
By the end of World War I, 2.8 million men nationwide would be drafted to serve along with the 2.0 million men and women who had voluntarily joined the US Armed Forces. 40% of the 4.8 million total would eventually serve in France. Honor. Respect. Remember.
