Baltimore and the Draft. A Historical Record

Baltimore: The District Board of Baltimore City, 1919. Hardcover. Very Good. Hardcover. SCARCE TITLE. This is a fascinating historical document published immediately after the end of World War I, documenting the history of the draft in Baltimore that was instituted in 1917 after President Woodrow Wilson declared that the United States could no longer remain neutral against Germany. Congress passed a Declaration of War on April 6, 1917, and the Selective Service Act was approved on May 18, 1917. The publication begins with a printing of The Star-Spangled Banner (with accompanying tipped-in color illustration of the flag). It includes a color tipped-in plate of "We Shall Not Sleep" by John McCrae, which begins "In Flanders fields the poppies grow between the crosses row on row." This is followed by a reprint of Wilson's war message to Congress on April 2nd, an article on the Selective Draft by the Secretary of War, an article by General Pershing on the American Expeditionary Forces, the poem "I Have a Rendezvous with Death" by Alan Seeger, the Declaration of War by Congress, a reprint of the Selective Service Act, and several other articles. It contains tributes to the Baltimore draft boards and lists the names of every man selected by the Baltimore local boards. It concludes with a chronology of American involvement in the war. This is a great resource for the historian of Baltimore or of World War I and the history of military conscription. This copy belonged to a member of the Baltimore medical board, which is discussed in this book. Quarto. Black leatherette with gilt title and emblem to front board. Minor wear to edges and corners; minor scuffing to boards. Interior is very clean with bright text. Includes 3 tipped-in plates and numerous photographic illustrations. Unpaginated. A nice copy. BALT/061004.