The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-11
Volunteer Advocates Still
Claim Their Plan Would
Have Been Best
DENT GATHERS DATA
FROM DEPARTMENTS
Wants to Know Just How Many Men
Have Joined Military Forces
of Own Free Will Since
April 1
ny HUGH w. ROBERTS

by HUGH w. HOBEhtS
Washington, August f0.-tspecial)
1t is patiently true that the war de-
pnrtment with the greatest difficulty
will be able to raise army of p
100000 from the 100000 who were
1t Is understood that fully SO 2-3
per cent of all men selected by draft
have filed or Will file exemption
claims. Rigid physical examinations
will eliminate, in addition. thousands
upon thousands of those who would
otherwise serve.
The war department is preparing to
fight every claim of exemption. Fed :
eral attorneys have been instructed to
appeal to district boards every eX-
emption filed with local boards. So
prodigious is the task confronting local
and district boards as well as the
war department, that it is evident that
it will be late fall before the national
army is ready to be whipped into
shape.
DRASTIC ORDER CONSIDERED
The war department, naturally, is
sues no statement regarding the sur
prise 1t feels that the percentage of
exemption claims is SO great; or in
respect to it's shock that the average
citizen Of draft age is more concerned
apparently with protecting his life and
limb than in revolutionizing the Prus-
sian form of government.
1t is known, however. that the wnr
department or certain officials in au-
thority connected with the war de-
of an order denying one drafted ex-
empti0n on the claim of dependents
unless he registers oath that such de-
pendents, without his support, would
become objects of charity.
Members of Congress to whom sug-
gestion to the above was made, in
stantly advised against the issuance OF
such order 1t is safe conjecture that
such order will not be issued. That 1t
was considered. however, indicates the
! extent of the difficulty the war depart
ment in it's efforts to raise an army
by the draft process is experiencing.
VOLUNTEERS BY DRAFT
BY certain members of Congress, the
point is made that the national army
when presented will be in effect vol
unteer army; that is, an army com
posed of patriots who refrained from
raising exemption claims and who, in
other manner submitted voluntarily to
the edict of law.
An English statesman declared that
he was unaware of the process by
means Of which an entire people could
be indicted. That declaration, accord
ing to these members of Congress,
could be aptIy repeated mt the present
time. They Indicate their belief that
the government would find 1t impos-
sfble to run down. prosecute. convict
after trial and adequately punish all
| those who Will have proved themselves
law dodgers. slackers and towards.
The situation has become so acute
in other words. that those members
who sometime ago suffered bitter crit
icism because of their stand for d
volunteer army are inclined to express
themselves on the floor of the House,
DENTS COMMENT
Il have asked General Crowder,''
stated Representative Dent this
afternoon, ito furnish me the num-
Der of men who from April to
August / volunteered for service in
the regular army and the Nation
al Guard
Il will acquire like information
from the department of the navy.
'As result. believe one might
show that between those dates
from 100000 to 100000 volun-
teered for foreign duty.
This action was taken in the
face of charges that the volunteer
system was a sentimental. inef-
fective and inexpert system. Had
the President as soon as a declar-
alton of war was declared issued
ringing appeal for volunteers, how
many men instantly would have
responded?
1T is an interesting subject for
speculation"
DRAFT QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Washington. August 10.-lSpecial)
John Gamble of Troy, chairman Of an ex-