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Washington, D. C., 10:10 PM, May 2, 1917.

Governor of N.C.
Raleigh, N.C.

One. Section five of the pending act to authorize the president to increase temporarily the military establishment of the United States carries a provision which authorizes the president to utilize the services of any or all officers or agents of the United States and of the several states, territories, and the District of Columbia in the execution of the act, requires all such officers and agents to perform such duty in the execution of the act as the President shall order or direct, and confers upon such officers and agents full authority for all acts done by them in the execution of the act by direction or request of the president period.

Two. In the execution of the act it will be necessary to have a disbursing officer for each state to disburse federal funds in payment of expenses incurred in making the required registration period.

Three. Assurrances thus far received from governors of states are to the effect that in many instances the necessary services connected with the registration will be rendered gratiously and buildings and other facilities required for the purpose furnished without cost to the United States period. The federal government appreciates such offers and intends to encourage them, but desires to make provision for prompt payment for services and facilities for which payment is to be made period. To this end, the secretary of war desires to designate disbursing officers as follows.

For each state, the adjutant general of such state, or, at the discretion of the governor, another officer to be designated by the governor and assigned to duty in the office of the adjutant general period.

Four. The expense of registration will include compensation for the services of registrars and their necessary assistants, the rent of necessary buildings in which to conduct the registration, other expenses in-cidental to the preparation of places of registration, and stationery, etcetera, to the extent that the necessary services and facilities are not supplied gratuitously, the government will pay them period.

Five. Each disbursing officer will obtain funds to meet necessary expenses in connection with the registration from the War Department period. Before funds can be placed to the credit of a disbursing officer, it is necssary that he furnish a bond as required by law period. The blank forms to be used in meeting this requirement will be sent to the designated officer, as will also a circular from the Treasury Department giving a list of surety companies that are acceptable to the War Department period. The designated officer should, if practicable, select as surety a company named in the Treasury circular, as to do so will avoid delay in investigating the financial status of the surety period.

Six. I am not unmindful of the fact that in each state there is at present a state property and disbursing officer who is a bonded official, but it is believed that this officers time is now fully occupied with his present duties period. The necessity for prompt settlement of all accounts in connection with the registration cannot be too strongly emphasized, and for this reason it is deemed desirable to appoint as disbursing officer one who has no other disbursing duties period.

Seven. The provost marshall general will furnish the adjutant general and disbursing officer in each state with blank forms and detailed instructions concerning his duties, and will stand ready at any time to furnish supplementary instructions when request to that end shall have been made period.

Eight. It is requested that upon receipt of this communication you advise this office by wire whether or not there is any reason that would serve to prevent the designation of the adjutant general of your state to perform the duties of disbursing officer outlined above period. If you consider it undesirable that the adjutant general be designated as a disbursing officer, you are requested to wire the nomination for that purpose of an officer on duty or to be placed on duty in the office of your adjutant general, in order that the direction of the operations connected with the registration may be concentrated in one office period.

Baker Secretary of War
12:50AM