The Washington herald., 1917-06-14
10000 EVADERS
OF DRAFT Held
Only Three Arrests Made
In Washington for
Nonreqistration.

The Department OF Justice started
to hnecomb the country yesterday for
men who had failed to register.
Washington. happily, was one Of
the few cities in the country free OF
the taint of disloyalty. but the news
Of thousands OF arrests came over
the wires hour by hour.
In Philadelphia the situation was
so serious that the local police, under
the direction OF the Department of
Justice, started house-to-house can
vass OF the entire city to check up
every citizen.
In Minneapolis and ST. Paul the
Socialist chairmen claimed that u,00O
OF their members had failed 10 regis
ter. and that they would submit TO
arrest at once.
In Chicago the police began to stop
all seemingly eligible men on the
cards
Similar news came from a dozen
OF other cities. and last night an
official Of the Department Of Justice
admitted that probably 10000 arrests
had been made during the day. and
that other arrests were being made
each hour.
In Washington only three men were
arrested during the day. The age
Of one could not be clearly determin-
ed and he was allowed TO go free,
another was found TO be a member
OF the National Guard and the third
had Just arrived in the country.
Maj. Pullman and the District Com
missioners are so satisfied that there
law in Washington that extensive ef-
forts to round up slAckers here are
improbable Washington Is one OF
the few cities in the country with
such clean record.
The actual registration figures, with
Ho --N0I
night by Provost Marshal Gen. Crow
der's oftice as 7.I73.s92 The indicated
exemptions are LO6L67s, with A3 707
aliens and Se,973 alien enemies. The
estimated registration for the ten
missing States Is 2022 697, figuring on
the per cent OF registrati ation to eSti-
mates on the States already heard
from.
Attorney General Explains.
ID explaining the policy Of the De-
partment Of Justice in handling regis
tration cases, Attorney General Greg
ory yesterday issued the following
statement:
I'm instances where registration was
omitted through ignorance or inatten-
uon. persons are now being permit
Of the Registration Regulations. be-
/ fore the county boards, and those so
| registering are held TO answer TO the
grand Jury on their own recognlzl-
ance. Those who have knowingly and
wiltuIy failed TO register and now
apply. are being registered but placed
| under bonds with sur<aes. -'
''All those who coatinue to defy the
law and such as have interfered with
| It's enforcement, or aided in its, eva
sion, are being imprisoned or held to
the Grand iuries on very substantial
| bonds"
The regula tons governing exemp-
tions under the selective draft law
and the creation Of exemption boards
have been pre- ecticslly completed by
Provost Marshal General Crowder.
The next step will be President
Wilson's proclamation putting them
into effect. The proclamation will
probably he issued early next
week. Politics will play no part
in the creation OF the exemp-
ton boards or in the work they are
to do If Gen. Crowder can prevent
it. Gen. Crowder has made it per-
fectly plain that there will be no
class exemptions and il will not come
as a surprise If there are mighty few
exemptions allowed.