The sun., 1917-05-30
GERMAN HAND IS SEEN
Methods Used Throughout
Country to Foil Conscrip-
tiOn Are Similar.
HELP IS Volunteered
Recruits Are Asked to Co.
operate i'm Forcing COM
plete Registration.

WAsHINoroN. May 2e.-Attorney- -Gen-
eral Gregory to-day instructed United
States Attorneys and Marshals through
out the country TO use their utmost
efforts to arrest and prosecute all per-
sons responsible for the agitation which
has manifested itself in localities from
New England to Texas against the reg
!istration on Tuesday Of men subject to
seiective draft.
This agitation has made itself felt
somewhat in many sections, but thus far
there apparently is little connection be-
tween the outbreaks. officials have
undertaken an exhaustive investigation
to determine X the whole anti-draft
| sentiment is not rooted in extensive
| Vaccinations of German propagandists
| in this country having a central head
Quarters.
| Color to this theory is lent in some
, degree by the marked similarity in the
methods of procedure In widely
separated communities Some officials
believe that the entire agitation -
manufactured by German agents who.
eemed in their original programme call
ing for an armed uprising Of German
reservists In this country. upon Amer
ica's entry into the war. have turned
their energies to this method of hinder
ing the military plans of the Govern
ment
| Expect Full Resistration.
| II such is the case the conspiracy
| will come TO nothing. of1lcials believe.
The Department OF Justice, IL was
! authoritatively announced tonight. ex-
poets virtually 100 per cent. OF eligibles
to register and prompt prosecution under
! the criminal provisions Of the law will
be instituted in the few cases where the
| law is not observed.
| Attorney General Gregory called on
all United States Attorneys and Mar
shals throughout the country to-day
| TO take the proper steps to secure
rigid enforcement of the selective
conscription law on registration day.
next Tuesday. and TO De prepared for
any possible resistance TO 1t on the part
or individuals or organizations. The
Federal officers not only will see that
the registration officers are protected to
| the limit in the discharge OF their duties
| on that day but that those interfering
with the registration or failing to regis
ter themselves are prosecuted promptly.
The Department is distributing its
own agents throughout the country for
work on registration day, II is deter
mined to crush in its incipiency every
| movement designed to thwart or inter
| fere with the law. 1t was said to-day
that 1t was receiving the help OF many
patriotic and commercial organizations
which have promised TO report promptly
all attempts to discourage registration
coming TO their knowledge.
The Attorney-General is asking all The
Young men Of the country to cooperate
in the enforcement OF the law as part
of their patriotic duty,
The circular sent out to-day by the
Attorney General was addressed To all
United States Attorneys and Marshals"
and read;
"Rumors with respect to possible re-
sistance to the registration on June
prox. under the selective service act
having reached the Department OF jus
tice it is deemed expedent TO issue the
following instructions 10 you:
Attention Is called to the duty en-
Joined upon YOU OF protecting to the
fullest extent the registrars and others
carrying the law into effect and to the
corresponding duty to arrest and prose-
cute all persons evading or encourae-
ing evasion of the law or seeking to
hinder. prevent or delay those who are
well disposed and would otherwise he
inclined TO be obedient.
Furthermore, the utmost efforts Of
your respective offices should be directed
to ascertaining the names ana nndlhg
the locations Of men subject TO registra-
tion who fail or refuse to register. in
order that criminal prosecutions may
be Instituted as directed by the act.
"ln addition to the penal provisions
contained in the said selective service
act approved May Is, 1917. other Fed
eral statutes which are germane and
may be effective. according to the cir
cumstances OF particular offences, are
these, namely; Sections 6. 81 and 332 OF
, the Federal Criminal Code"
Outside Aid Expected.
1t was said at the Department OF
Justice that there was every expecta-
tion that virtually all those eligible to
register would do so. Nevertheless the
Department Is perfecting plans for To-
eating and arresting those liable to con-
scription who fail to register. Great
assistance is expected from those who
! comply with the law The Department
expects every man subject to registra-
, ton not only to register himself but to
constitute a committee of one in his
district to see hat those OF his acqusin-
ances subject to conscription register
and in case they do not TO report their
failure to do so,
JN.JTjNCTION rs .SOUGHT.