100 years ago in The Saratogian
Friday, Aug. 31, 1917
Despite constant efforts to maintain patriotic fervor during wartime, The Saratogian reports a widespread belief that “men who have been drafted regard the occurrence as a misfortune of lesser or greater degree.”
Men between the ages of 21 and 30 were subject to a national draft lottery on July 20. Saratoga County was required to provide 316 men for the war against Germany. The first 5% of that cohort will be mobilized next month.
While many draftees have claimed exemptions from service, mainly for family reasons, the county’s two draft boards “would feel safe in asserting that the majority of those accepted for the local district quota are entirely willing, and in many cases eager to go.”
How a “prevailing idea” to the contrary spread is unclear, but the draft boards and The Saratogian hope to refute it with examples like that of Clarence W. Dunham of 143 Caroline Street. In a letter received today and shared with the newspaper, Dunham asks his local board to call him up as soon as possible.
“Having read that a few of the drafted men are to be sent to camp soon, I am writing to say that I am ready to go with the first,” Dunham explains.
“I have had two months training at the Reserve Officers camp at Madison, and was discharged July 12 because of physical disability. If you deem it best to include me in the first quota I shall be glad to receive notice to that effect.”
Despite the apparent disability, “If possible, the board will include Mr. Dunham in the first group to go.”
In a somewhat related story, Galen Green puts in a belated appearance before his local draft board after The Saratogian publicized his failure to show up for his physical exam. “Having no other means of discovering his whereabouts, the board used The Saratogian as a means of locating him,” a reporter boasts.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
The Broadway Theatre stars the Labor Day weekend with a new program of live vaudeville and movies, headlined by Mary Miles Minter in “Somewhere in America,” a picture billed as “The Wonderful Metro Masterpiece of the Day.”
On stage tonight are Dow & Dale, a “Great Singing Novelty,” the “Spectacular Comedy Variety Offering” of Harrington & Miller, the “Beautiful Girl Specialty Novelty” of Ripel & Fairfax and The Alcars, identified simply as “Those Comedy Tumblers.”
At the Broadway Palace, Bessie Love stars in “The Sawdust Ring,” a Triangle production advertised as “A delightful story of circus life.” A Triangle comedy short rounds out the program.