The Great War: June 5, 1917

On this day a hundred years ago, the first national registration for the draft of World War I took place. On the night before, Company F, the Hudson unit of the National Guard, staged a last ditch effort to get the young men of Hudson to volunteer for the National Guard rather than register and face the possibility of conscription. Yesterday, Gossips recounted the plans for that appeal; today, we share the results, as reported in the Hudson Evening Register for June 5, 1917.

The "F" company made a parade last night that attracted considerable attention. It was led by a drum corps, and fetching up in the rear was the supply wagon and motor truck.

As they saw the khaki clad boys swing with steady stride through the streets and in an impressive formation, Hudsonians could not but feel a deep admiration for "their fellows." Company F is a unit of which Hudson has a just right to be proud.

As the company passed the Reading Room down town, many women, members of the Red Cross society, who had been busy sewing kits which will be presented to the Hudson contingent, cheered loudly.

The purpose of last night's demonstration was to inspire the young men of Hudson to enlist in the local company, but apparently the young men here did not become very enthused, for but one is said to have made application for enlistment after the parade, his name being McDowell. It is not known whether this patriotic young man passed the physical examination.

Attractive signs were on the motor truck and supply wagon one of which read: "Come out of the draft."

The "Reading Room down town," where "members of the Red Cross society" were "busy sewing kits which will be presented to the Hudson contingent," was the Hendrick Hudson Chapter House of the Daughters of the American Revolution. We know this from a letter to the editor written by D.A.R. regent Maude M. Benson, published in the Hudson Evening Register on April 10, 1917, and published again by Gossips on April 10, 2017.

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