Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-18
Injustice in the Draft.
Padding Of census figures in val

Injustice in the Draft.
Padding Of census figures in various
northern states so as to work In
equality In the operation Of the select
i've draft system was charged by Sem
ators Lodge of Massachusetts,, Brand
oxee Of Connecticut and Pomerene OF
Ohio In a Senate debate today over
resolution calling on the census bureau
to explain how II had arrived at It's
method Of calculation. The three sen.
ators alleged that severe injustice will
he done many communities II the sys-
tenn is not revised so as 70 make a
more impartial draft throughout the
country. Two Of the senators are Re-
publicans. the other Democrat and
Arm supporter Of the administration
News dispatch from Washington.
Weeks ago. our readers will remem-
Der, the Kennebec Journal urged the
weakness of a system that forced our
nAtive.born or naturalized Americans
70 fight for unnumbered aliens who are
permitted to remain in safety on
American soil, neither serving their
own countries or the country where
they have found refuge. 1t seemed to
us then and does now, that our con-
scription law should be changed that
all able-bodied aliens should be made
to fish or cut bait
II the charges made in the L. S.
Senate. Monday, are true and exemp-
ton is given to great numbers of
aliens, the draft will fall heavily and
unjustly on some large communities.
Anybody can see how the draft quota
ts increased in densely populated sec
items where the population is made ur
largely CT aliens, while in the South
the proportion is reduced because the
percentage Of alien population is small
In his argument Senator Brandegee
said:
Somebody wrote me the other day
that they had taken poll Of several OF
the large factories in New Britain
which developed that there were $500
aliens and $500 American citizens en-
gagged in those two or three factories
The result is that the $500 aliens are
going 10 remain there, while large
proportion of the $500 Americans are
going TO be drafted and sent abroad to
defend the $500 aliens who are exempt
No matter how patriotic men may
DO or how willing to submit their des-
tiny to the turn Of the wheel and to the
gamble Of the draft. they do not want
TO play with loaded dice and they dc
49,.
being drawn to go to death and disease
that a man has to take if he lives il
some other state. To that extent, Il
seems to me a tremendous wrong wa.
committed, or. TO put it mildly. mos
mildly. a great mistake was made ir
cur draft law"
Il. too, have consulted with the mill
tary auth critics" Senator Brandegee
went on. Il submitted a letter from
the Governor Of my state to one of The
high military authorities. He thinks
that as only $4,000 are to be drafted
in the first call the inequality com.
plaired Of will not be very serou:
when spread over the entire country
. But re that as II may, there is no rea
son why men who have lived in thi:
country and are living here. sending
their children to our schools, payIns
taxes here and accumulatins propert,
here. should not fight for the preser-
vation OF this country in this grea'
emergency.
re there are any provisions in ou1
treaties with foreign countries thai
their subjects residing here should bt
exempt from draft. have no doub
that as TO the allies residing in thi:
country, who are citizens Of the coun
tries with which We are in alliance II
this war, every single country would
waive any exemption contained in sucf
4 treaty. and Of course. the individual
alien in this country could take no ad
vantage OF it"
This matter Of the resident alier
which creates such an injustice in thu
distribution Of the draft Is a matter o
the greatest Importance" said Senator
Lodee Aliens ought not to he count
cd for the draft unless they are goin:
to he drafted II they won't serve IL
the arrnie. Of their own countries the.
ought 10 be exposed to the draft here
n /. a matter for the speedy atten,io,
OF the legislative branch Of cur gov
eminent and for immediate legislation
This should come without any delay a
all
1T Is perfectly apparent from the Is
tonishinE figures that have been eivel
Nv the senator from Connecticut ant
the senator from Ohio that norther,
cities and northern states are havin!
their census estimates padded in orde
TO make their proportion of the draf
heavier. whereas. as recent publi
F. statements show, those Of the southern
, states are being reduced by the sam
. henencent authority"
vs. don't know that we have all tn,