While many of the previous Saturday Tidbit posts have been about the 1940 military draft for Nemaha county, the newspapers are shifting away from draft news to military news in general. Below is the military news from the front page of the 10 Feb 1941 issue of the Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas).
Service Men To Be Enrolled
Gov. Ratner Asks They List Qualifications
All service men who live in the area served by Earle W. Taylor Post American Legion are requested by Legion Commander Edw R. Levick to fill out a questionnaire in the Legion club rooms here on Saturday, Feb. 22. Maj. George Springer is chairman of the committee.
The purpose is to list all former soldiers and sailors in the common defense – not to take up arms, nor even broomsticks – not to guard a railroad against imaginary enemies – but should an emergency develop at any time in the way of community disaster or if the U.S. becomes involved in war, the authorities may call upon the disciplined and trained ex-service men to do what is necessary.
Another purpose is to give the government a classification of the men in crafts and skills, the better to assign labor to defense work.
Commander Levick says he has no patience with any plan to have service men waste their energies in vain parading with wooden guns or any other kind of guns but he does think it worth while to have a census taken of crafts and trades.
The matter is not mandatory but all service men will wish to comply since Gov. Ratner has placed the matter in the form of an executive request and names Feb. 22 as Registration day.
The registration is in no way restricted to members of veterans’ organizations.
Wants to Get His Year of Service in
Bob Adriance, printer, though far down in the draft list, is planning to volunteer for his year of military service. He filled out his questionnaire Friday and hopes to be able to go with the contingent which leaves Nemaha county February 24th.
