"The past is a different country"

While doing some research in Ashland for my wife's book, we ran across Ashland County Wisconsin in the World War by Rev. Harry S. Ruth.

That describes what it is; for each city there's a list of who was sent, and highlights of the daily events, whether this was the rather banal "May 27, 1918: Wisconsin two cent fares no more. McAdoo wiped out the rate today. Freight rates will rise 25%" or the tar-and-feathering of a professor. (April 1, 1918--"... Professor E.A. Schimler, teacher of languages at Northland College. Pro-German". The mob let him walk home afterwards.)

I thought the section about the draft might be interesting.

June 2, 1917. Registration day, June 5'th, Tuesday. ...

1. There is only one day for registration, June 5'th, 1917.

2. Every male resident of the United States who has reached is twenty-first and has not reached his thirty-first birthday must register ...

                  Registration Blank for Army Draft
Form 1                                                   No.  ________
     Registration Card
                     Given Name     Age in years     Family Name
1.  Name in full......................................................
2.  Home address......................................................
3.  Date of birth.....................................................
4.  Are you (1) a natural born citizen?  (2) a naturalized citizen?
   (3) an alien?  (4) or have you declared your intention?
   (Specify which.)....................................................
                          Town      State            Nation
5.  Where were you born?...............................................
6.  If not a citizen, of what country are you a citizen or subject?....
7.  What is your present trade, occupation or office?..................
8.  By whom employed?..................................................
9.  Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12, or a sister or
   brother under 12, solely dependent on you for support?
   (Specify which.)....................................................
10. Married or single (which)?.........................................
   Race (Specify which)................................................
11. What military rank have you had?...................................
       Rank............. Branch............... Years...................
       Nation or State ................................................
12. Do you claim exemption from the draft? (Specify grounds)...........

I affirm that I have verified the above answers and that they are true.
              Signature................................................

If person is of African descent,
tear off this corner.

That entry was followed a few days later by this, which is part of the June 13 entry: "Registration Report is completed. 1,133 men who registered in Ashland County do not claim military exemption. Only 21 alien enemies according to report."

At the time, the Indian nations were exempt, but many men waived the exemption--up to 70% in some places. Their names are often French or English, but when you read that someone was from Odanah you know he was Bad River Band. It wasn't until 1924 that Indians who were members of Indian nations were US citizens.

FWIW, "declarant aliens" had a special status in Wisconsin for a long time. If a man had been a resident a year and declared his intention to become a citizen, he was allowed to vote. In fact, during the Civil War he was encouraged to. This was stopped in 1908.