New Britain herald., 1917-08-07
LIENS MAY JOIN ] NEW DRAFT ARMY
koVder Instructs Boards to AC- l Cept Those Who Volunteer

ke new national army were opened
 brmallv yesterday afternoon to
 ttendly aliens as volunteers. A rul-
 hr bv Provost, Marshal General
 krowder communicated to the local
 Election board directs that all such
 liens who waive their right of ex-
 mption on nationality be promptly
 ccepted for service. General Crow
 ar sent this telegram to the govern
 rs:
 "Reports reaching this office re-
 antlv indicate that in some quarters
 he belief prevails that friendly aliens.
 rho have not declared their intention
 b become citizens, but are ready and
 dlling to serve, are disqualified from
 6tering the military service of the
 fnfted States, and therefore that they
 aust take out first papers before they
 an be accepted.
 Tt is to be regretted that such a
 aisun derstanding should have arisen.
 The qualifications for voluntary en-
 Stment in time of war are no more
 egtricted for service in the new na
 tonAl army than for the regular
 rmy. Such alien non-declarants are
 irtually volunteers. The selective ervtce act provided for their regis ration, but 1t did not regard them as ,eing under any liability to serve.
 nd 1t therefore gave them full lib
 rty to claim exemption when called
 y local boards.
 'Now that information reveals heir willingness in large numbers to
 ecline the exemption and to accept ervice in this war against the com non enemy of our civilization, 1t hould be fully understood that their ervice is heartily welcomed and hey should be accepted, whenever lpon summons they fail to claim their a4ht of exemption.
 'They are assisting the cause of heir own country by aiding the Juited States to triumph in this war. yhe more of them that enter the serv- 1 ce the better for in this way will ,e removed the cause of dissatisfac-- ion heard in some quarters, that al- . hough the quota was based on total 1opulation including aliens, the ! actual draft reached only citizens and leclarants.
 Must Encourage Aliens. S"Local boards are directed to facili- ate in every way the acceptance of riendly alien non-declarants for military service and thus to enable hem to do their share to assist the country which has given them a refuge and an honorable living" Genera Crowder's office issued also instructions to guide registered men who are either at officers training camps or who have applied for admis- sion to the second series of these camps, which will open this month. There has been considerable question in the minds of these men as to how they should proceed.
 The instructions to local boards di- rect that where a candidate at train ing camp is called by his local board for physician examination he may pro- |cure certificate from his command Ing officer. showing that he has been examined and file that with the board, Instead of making personal appear Ance in response to the summons. The board will thereafter treat him as found qualified for service, unless ap- plication of exemption is filed subse- quently in his behalf.
 If the candidate wins a commission It the camp after he has been called by the board for examination, but be- fore he is actually drafted, he is re- uuired to furnish a certificate from his commanding officer showing his ap- pointment The state adjutant gen. eral will then credit the board with one drafted man.
 If the candidate Is not commissioned before his local board calls him for military duty, he must report to the board, unless the war department shal
 have ordered him to duty at the train E Ing camp, in which event credit will be ' given the board involved on its quots ( In the draft.
 X Where the candidate has been com '. missioned before he is called by th board he is required to file certificate
 showing his sta tus, and also an appli cation for exemption on the groun'
 that he is already in the military ser vice. In that exent he is exempted
 but does not figure in the credit ac count of his district.
 ; The Alimony Brigade. There was some discussion as to tn. 5 Status of divorced men who are payint ahmony. It has been suggested tha ] In some cases the former wives O. such men are solely dependent upo1 { the alimony payments, and the re moval of the men would work hard ship upon them. No specific reques for a ruling has been received but it i regarded probable that if the ques ; ton is raised the same rule that ap piles to all other discharges for dc = pendents would fit the case. It Is no r the purpose of the Government t. . work hardship on any dependent b. taking away bread winner. If tn ? S25 a month which a soldier cal ! spare from his salary will provide ade l. quately for his home responsibilities 1 however, he will not be released iron military service, so each case must b considered on it's merits.
 Provision to protest harvesting iron
 shortage of hands due to the mobiiza
 ton of the national army has bee
 made by the Government in regula
 lions now going out to district exemp