WWI - The Draft/Conscription

To raise a national army for the American entry into World War I, the Selective Draft Act of 1917 authorized the federal government to raise an army through conscription. The Act itself was drafted by  Hugh Johnson after the United States entered World War I by declaring war on Germany. The Act was canceled with the end of the war on November, 1918.

At the time of World War I, the U.S. Army lacked in size compared with the mobilized armies of the powers of Europe. As late as 1914, the federal army was under 100,000, while the National Guard  numbered around 115,000. The National Defense Act of 1916 authorized the growth of the army to 165,000 and the National Guard to 450,000 by 1921. By 1917 the federal army had only expanded to around 121,000, with the National Guard numbering 181,000. Six weeks after war was declared,  73,000 had volunteered for service.

All males aged 21 to 30 were required to register for military service by the guidelines of the Selective Service Act. Later congress made the law in August 1918 to expand the age range to include all men 18 to 45, and to expand volunteering. By the end of World War I, around 2 million men volunteered for the armed services, and about 2.8 million had been drafted. More than half of the almost 4.8 million Americans who served in the armed forces were drafted. There were 3 national registration days.

The World War I draft had a high success rate due to the patriotic attitude with fewer than 350,000 men dodging the draft.

                                                   








Sources: http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/usconscription_wilson.htm
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1968530