Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-07
6t Tests Lagging,
500 Accepted Today

and Pine streets police station, was the plea
made by Colbert c. McCiain. 4s14 Baltimore
avenue. He Is stenographer for Judge
joseph Rogers. OF Common Pleas Court
No. ..
Mcclain passed the physical examination
but wanted to be exempted, And why7
asked the chairman OF the board. Judge
Rogers" replied the conscript, cannot get
along without me-" His claim was held
under advisement
Asserting that II is an Outrage" TO
force American-born boys to do the fght-
ing OF Philadelphia's $4,000 apien COM
scripts, Edward r. Swift, chairman OF
Draft District No. 8, with headquarters in
the Tenth and Buttonwood police station.
today announced that more than 1000
aliens in the district would be forced to
fight for exemption.
Under the law" said Swift IAN alien
can claim exemption from the national
army. That is his legal right, but not his
moral right. Our aliens have come TO this
city for the express purpose of enjoying
the benefits OF our free institutions and
being permitted to reap such benefits, ought
to be willing to fight for them. The mar
yied aliens who have children have moral
right to claim exemption, but the big.
sturdy fellows who have fed from the tyr
amy OF European governments should
stand up like men and share the respon-
abilities Of the country that protects them
and gives them the opportunity TO better
their condition in life. 1t is cowardly for
these men to lag behind in the present
crisis and force American-born youths to
do their fighting.
Single aliens in our district will be
forced TO take the physical examinations
and before obtaining exemptions must APP
peal their cases TO the district boards, We
have taken firm stand on this Issue and
will do everything possible to force the
aliens into the national service.
Each man will have the same considera-
tion that Is shown to boys born in this
country, but no more. If they do not think
enough of the country that is supporting
them to step forward and aid in the work
OF protecting II they ought to go back to
their former homes ! hope that Congress
passes law which will exclude this class
from exemption, but until then each board
must exercise common sense and make
every endeavor TO force them into line.
Under the selectve service act all of
the citizens between the ages OF twenty-one |
and thirty-one are being called upon to 10 |
their bit In a struggle against Kaiserism |
American institutions are at stake and no |
slackers should be tolerated. The alien |
has had his taste Of Kaiserism and ough, |
to be willing to make some sacrifices in the |
struggle to overthrow It,"
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HARD HIT
Swift's statement followed the disclosures
that owing TO the vast number OF aliens
In South Philadelphia virtually every Amer
ican-born draft eligible In that section is
likely to be called for service in the first
national army.
Regardless Of the order In which the
numbers were drawn on draft day. IL Is
estimated that all the able-bodied and espe-
cialiy the single men who registered will
De called into the first army owing to the
large allen population In these districts
The number OF exemptions and of aliens
tnere Is SO great that virtually every man
who registered will be called for examlna-
ton within the next few weeks
The quotas in these districts probably
Will not be filled before early September
These startling facts were brought to
light today by members of the exemption
boards of the Second and Third registra-
tion districts In South Philadelphia.
Both W. c. Chambers. chairman of the
second Division board, and DR.. John H.
Remig. Of the Third District Board, de.
plored the fact that the large number of
aliens living in these districts will mean
virtually that all Americans who qualify
will be called into service with the first
army.
1t was explained that being an Amer.
lean is almost penalized in South Phila-
deiphia
Open criticism Of the system and OF the
unfairness" OF the method used in drafting
uedriy all americans who are single, or
married without children. at the first call
was heard.
1t was said that the chances Of American
single men living In that section of the city
Of going with the first army were less than
one to two.
Doctor Remig, In discussing the outlook
Tor American-born South Philadelphians,
explained that yesterday 143 men were
called for examination In the Third Dis
tr:ct. at Second and Christian streets OF
MAT number sxty-seven were aliens thus
leaving seventy-six for examination OF that
number twenty-nine were rejected for
physical reasons Forty-seven In all were ac-
ceRted out of the men called OF that num-
Der more than SO per cent claimed exemp-
hon. Doctor Remig explained that IL these
exemptions are granted only twenty-five
men are to be taken out of a call of 143
men.
AZ that rate. II was said all men who
registered will have to be called before the
districts quota can be filed.