The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-05

kDeo are closely watching the stu
~ IN Oklahoma and other scat
49, pOlnfa The war department
NAe learned tonight, is prepared &c
- veteran troops to any poin
MWAego they are needed for the sup
ko1ion Of disorder and the imposi
IN Of the extreme penalty. 1t Il
No0bkful however whether the ex
4toms penalty can be incurred unit
0xter the ANAL date for enrolment IA,
Xo1oed. Such disorders as those II
Oklahoma are tonight regarded here
- purely civil. Local authorize.
WIN be expected to handle them. The
( penalty win be the usual one OF The
civil law for murder or riot or man
daughter as the case may be. Mil
1fAry lawyers in fact doubt whether
any crime against the nation has yet
1oen committed.
Deceived BY Agitators.
The Oklahoma rioters, the Jones
\ fAmity." and other resisters OF the
draft, are loked upon as ignoran,
persons deceived by shrewd agitators.
The bulk OF these rioters will be
The military power will be invoked
and called into play only when the
situation gets beyond the state and
county peace authorities. Officials
here were encouraged tonight by
press reports OF the way the situa-
ton was being handled by Governor
Williams and the citizens of the af-
fected counties.
II the agitators. alleged to be l. w
w. leaders. who have stirred up this
trouble. fall into the tolls a charge
OF high treason will undoubtedly be
lodged against them and prosecuted
in the United States courts Evidence
10 said to be in the hands OF the au-
thorfttes tonight to show that these
men were inspired by an intelligently
sinister motive.
Both the president and Secretary
Baker are away from Washington to-
night. and It could not be learned
whether a formal request had come
for federal aid. That both these Of
fcials should leave. however. was in
terpreted as reassuring The presi-
dent is down the Potomac on the
Maynower and in close touch with
the executive officers by wireless.
Secretary Baker has gone 10 his SUM
mer home with his family
The offlcer who would have charge
OF troop movements for the war de-
partment. however, will be at his
desk most OF the night and a scratch
81 his pen would send whirling into
the troubled districts tropos that can
be relied upon, bronzed veterans Of
the border and OF Vera Cruz. who
know how TO fight a mob as well as
now to fight an organized enemy
Expert law officers of the Judge
advocate generals Office are also
ready to proceed to the scene of
trouble at a moments notice
General Crowticr's Statement
General Crowder's statement on the
draft registers today was as follows.
Press reports and other advices
received indicate that in one or two
widely separated districts indivieais
misinformed as to the purpose of the
law and MISGUIDED as to its results
are threatening. forcible resistance i,
the draft.
There Is nothing to resist at this
stage in the expectation of the law.
All male persons between the ages
OF twenty-one and thirty. inclusive.
have been enrolled for military ser
vice. A preliminary call has gone
forth TO some such persons. but the
immediate and actual object Of the
call Is merely to provide an opportu.
nifty for such persons, or for some
one else in respect TO them, to pre-
sent TO the government reasons whv
they should not be finally ordered 70
report for militAry duty
3-1kEAm2persons do not appear
ahds present these reasons they have
simply neglected to take advantage
OF an opportunity that was offered
solely for their benefit The failure
Of such persons to take advantage of
this opportunity does not interfere
with the raising of an army and in
terests the government only as pun
tshabie crimes of omission. II they
do not desire TO make such claims.
or X for any other reason. they fail
to appear. their names are automati-
cally posted as having been called and
not exempted or discharged. Auto
maticAlly also they are indicted into
the military service and subject 10
the military law. Failure TO appear
merely hastens, this automatic pro-
cess.
Automatically Made Soldiers
When the time allowed for maxi
ing these claims has elapsed these
persons will be enrolled. as in the mil
itary service. They will then he or
dered TO appear as soldiers From
this position thew will he under the
swift and summary procedure OF
court-marttal. Failure to report for
military duty when ordered 10 do SO
constitutes desertion. Desertion in
time of war is a capital oTense
Deserters may be apprehended by
either civil or military authority and
after the mandate OF the federal gov
eminent has gone forth the whole
strength of the military arm of the
government Is avaiia BILE TO apprehend
deserters If 1t Is necessary to use
such force.
Simply Strokes in the Air.
Demonstrations against loca
boards are simply futile strokes in
the air. All the records necessary to
hold such persons are already on
hle 1t state headquarters. and at the
national capital and since local
boards have no occasion TO use any
force in simply offering a beneficial
Opportunity to registered persons
there Is no field for resistance If
resistance Is attenpted later. when
the army seeks TO apprehend desert
ers II will instantly encounter troops
Of the federal government.