Selective Service Manual: A Manual of Elementary Drill and Physical Training Prepared Especially for Men Registered Under the "Selective Service Act."
Los Angeles: Times-Mirror Printing and Binding House, 1917. Hardcover. 24mo. Blue cloth with black lettering and pictorial stamping. 262pp. Illustrations, line drawings. Very good. Quite faint binding edgewear only; internally tight and near fine. Item #48808
A tight, nice first edition of this manly how-to guide filled with exercises, infantry and cavalry drills, etc. -- everything, in other words, your budding doughboy might need to know. Front pastedown bears large inked nonauthorial gift inscription (dated 2/17/18) "To Lt. F.K. Altman / from Pa," and below this (presumably in the lieutenant's hand) is "305th Cavalry N.A. / Camp Stanley, Texas." Interesting that the Selective Service Act wasn't signed into law by President Wilson until three months after this inscription (May 18, 1917), but the publisher anticipated its passing and published this well in advance, betting that some of the ten million men that registered for the draft within a few months of its passing would be needing a manual such as this. Surprisingly uncommon, especially in such tight and bright condition.
Price: $75.00