The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-06-01
PUT DOWN OPPOSITION
TO REGISTRATION
Attorney General Gregory Orders
Federal Officers to Arrest All Per
Sons Responsible for Agitation.

eral Gregory today instructed United
States attorneys and marshals
throughout the country to use their
utmost efforts to arrest and prosecute
all persons responsible for the agl-
tation which has manifested itself IN
localities from New England to Tex
as against registration June S of men
subject to selective draft.
This agitation has made itself felt
somewhat in many sections, but thus
far there apparently is little connec-
ton between the outbreaks. Officials
have undertaken an exhaustive lnves-
tigation to determine if the whole anti
draft sentiment is not rooted in eX'
, tensive Vaccinations of German pro-
pagandists in this country having a
central Headquarters.
Similarity in Methods
Color to this theory is lent in some
degree by the marked similarity IN
the method of procedure in widely
I separated communities: Some officials
believe that the entire agitation is
manufactured by German agents, who
zaffled in their original program call
ing for an armed uprising of German
reservists in this country upon Amer1-
cas- entry into the war, having tur-
ned their energies to this method OF
hindering the military plans OF the
government.
If such is the case the conspiracy
will come to nothing officials believe
The Department of Justice, it was
authoritatively announced tonight, eX-
poets 100 Fer cent of eligibles to reg
lister and prompt prosecution under
the criminal provisions Of the law Will
be instituted in the few cases where
the law is not observed.
To bring out the full registration
Attorney General Gregory today in
vited the entire nation ito constitute
itself z committee of the whole and
every man of military age commit
tee of one to report slackers. The
! Attorney General in a statement also
said:
Attorney Generals Statement.
Determined to crush in incipiency
every movement designed to thWart
or interfere with regulation as pro-
vided for in the law, the department
is having it's officers throughout the
country arrest promptly. all agitators
against compliance with the law.
"The department is not dependent
eneirely on its agencies to discover
disloyal activity. State and munici-
pal police are cooperating and mem
bers of national patriotic and CONNER
cial organizations which were enlisted
after the declaration of state of war
to guard against all acts inimical
to the general welfare are engaged
in bringing to the attention of the
United States attorneys and marshals
all instances of attempts to discour-
age registration.
On Duty June )
"These several agencies will be on
duty June 5, honeycombing the coun-
try to see that every man subject to
registration complies with the law
md that every official delegated to
carry out it's provisions performs mis-
duty properly
All .hese officials will be protected
in the performance of their duty
heavily protected in communities
where the agitation has manifested it.
self. Instructions snet to all United
States attorneys and marshals say:
"Rumors with respect to possible
resistance to the registration on June
5. under the Selective Draft Act,
having reached the Department OF
Justice, it is deemed expedient 70
issue the following instructions to
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
prosecute all persons evading or en-
raging evasion of law, or seeking
to hinder, prevent or delay those
who are we'll disposed and would
otherwise be inclined to be obedient.
Furthermore, the utmost efforts OF
your respective Offices should be di-
rected to ascertaining the name and
finding the locations of men subject
to registration who fail or refuse to
register, in order that criminal prose
cutions may be instituted as directed
by the act.
Other Federal Statutes.
"In addition to the penal provls-