--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 21 number: 6 published: 1918-04 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, “United States Boys' Working Reserve,” *Improvement Era* 21, no. 6 (April 1918): 541–542." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2106unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2106unse start_page: 541 end_page: 542 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1918-04) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2106unse publication_year: 1918 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1918, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # United States Boys' Working Reserve United States Boys' Working Reserve This is a new army to help win the war. There will be no conscripts in the United States Boys' Working Reserve, only vol- unteers. All American youths between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one who are engaged in productive and non-productive activities are to be volunteers for enlistment. On Monday, March 18, a "drive" was begun in every state of the Union to enlist these boys in a great non-military army as workers in farming and in other necessary industries. It is a great opportunity for the boys. It is an earnest call to patriotic service. Our country needs man power to raise food, to build ships, help in machine shops, textile mills, canning fac- tories, and in other industries the output of which is necessary to keep our men at the front and in training supplied with food and war material. This army of boys between sixteen and twenty-one can fill those vacant places and so do a man's work for their country. The boy who wishes to enlist will ask his teacher who will put him in touch with the nearest enrolling officer. Here he will be given a card upon which he gives his age, weight, height, and the service he thinks he is best fitted to perform. Having then received the consent of his parents, and passed the physical examination, he is required to subscribe to the oath of service, pledges himself to stand by the Constitution of the United States, and faithfully perform any duty to which he may be assigned. Such duty may be farm work, or in a canning factory, or manufacturing plant. But wherever it may be, he will have a director to advise him, and to help him in case of need. He will be assured of fair pay, good food, wholesome living condi- tions, reasonable working hours, and plenty of time for recrea- tion. His duty must be performed under the most pleasant conditions; and he will probably live in camp with other boys of his own age and temper. He will be under moral obligation and no other to serve through the whole season or time agreed 542 IMPROVEMENT ERA upon. But with the consent of his parents, he may give up his badge and leave the service when he will. Love of country and a sense of honor are the only ties that bind him. Should he prove recreant to his oath only his conscience will punish him. There are few genuine American boys who will not hold out to the end. The enlistment in Utah for agricultural services will be con- ducted under the general supervision of the state council of de- fense, with Mr. J. W. Watson, chairman of the special committee, in co-operation with the schools and organizations of the state, and under the direct leadership in counties of a committee consisting of the County Agent of the Utah Agricultural College, County Superintendent of Schools, Y. M. M. I. A. superintend- ents, and Y. M. C. A. leaders. Boys from twelve to sixteen in Utah may enroll and receive recognition in a junior boys work- ing reserve by the state. Wherever the Y. M. M. I. A. have organizations, they art. urged to do their part in this work; and particularly is it de- sirable and important that our organization, as well as others in the Church, should take an earnest interest in the supervision of camps, and eee that the boys are provided with healthful sur- roundings and proper moral environment. Boys working for their parents on the farm are eligible for enrollment, and should avail themselves of this opportunity of receiving national recognition for their services. Y. M. M. I. A. officers ovitside of Utah should correspond with their state councils of defense and co-operate with their state leaders, and have their boys enrolled as provided in their separate states.