The sun., 1917-08-05
COurt-martial for Men That
Fail to Obey MObiliza-
tiOn Order.
CRowDER GIVES WARNING
Conscfipts Failing to Report
Will Be Deserters-S50 Re-
ward for Their Capture.
Special Dsspotoh TO TIE Sun.

the penalty for forcibly resisting the
draft. This was clearly indicated In a
statement made public tonight by
Provost Marshal General Crowder in
regard to the draft disorders in okla
homa, Georgia and North Carolina.
Such resistance will be construed as
desertion in time Of war; the entire
military and civil power of the Govern
ment and the civil power of the States
will be employed to apprehend these de-
serters and bring them before courts
martial. which, under the law. must in
fiict the extreme penalty II the men are
found guilty. Only the President can
save the convicted man from punish
ment.
Gen. Crowder's statement. which was
made after n conference at the Depart
ment of Justice, follows:
Press reports and other advices re-
ceived indicate that in one or two widely
separated districts, Individuals. misin-
formed as to the purpose of the law and
misguided as to its result. are threaten
ing forcible resistance to the draft.
Nothing Yet to Resist.
There is nothing to resist at this
stage in the execution of the law. All
male persons between the ages OF 21 and
30 inclusive have been enrolled for mill
tary service. A preliminary call has
gone forth to some such persons but the
immediate and actual object OF this call
Is merely to provide an opportunity for
such persons or for some one else in
respect of them to present to the Gov
ant
finally ordered to report for military
duty.
''If such persons do not appear and
present these reasons they have simply
neglected to take advantage of an op-
portunity that was offered solely for
their benefit The failure Of persons to
take advantage of this opportunity does
not interfere with the raising of the
army and interests the Government only
as a punishable crime of omission.
IF they do not desire to make any
such claims or IL for any otho" reason
they fail TO appear their names are auto
matically posted as having been called
and not exempted or discharged. Auto
matically also they are indicted into the
military service and made subject ia
military law. Failure to appear merely
hastens this automatic process.
when the time allowed for making
those claims has elapsed these persons
will be enrolled as in the military SER
vice. They will then be ordered to APP
pear as soldiers. From this point on
they will be under the swift and summary
procedure of coWts-martial Failure 70
report for military duty when ordered
to do so constitutes desertion. Desertion
In time OF war is a capital offence.
"Deserters may be apprehended by
either civil or military authority and
after the mandate of the Federal Gov
ernment has gone forth the whole
strength OF the military arm of the
Government is available to apprehend
deserters II 1t is necessary to use such
force.
Army Ready to Use Force.
DEMONSTRATIONS against local boards
are simply futile strokes in the air. Al
the records necessary to hold such per-
sons are already on file at State head
quarters and at the national capital, and
since local boards have no occasion tC
use any force In simply offering bene'
| fcial opportunity to registraHts. there
Is no field for resistance. II resistance
is attempted later. when the army seeks
TO apprehend deserters, II will instantly
encounter troops Of the Federal Govern
ment."
In practice, under Gen. Crowders con
| structlon Of the law, registered men whC
do not appear for examination will b'
posted to the district boards as selected
! for military service as soon as the fv'
| day period allowed them to put In AT
| appearance after they have been sum
| moned, has elapsed. Two days mor'
will elapse after their names reach th'
! lon hx
| the individual They will then be posted
TO the Adjutant-Ge General OF the State a.
| selected to fill the quotas of their dis
! trict.
/ Orders for the mobilization OF the sc
lected men will be given some time dur
| ing the present month. II the reslstel
! falls TO obey that order, he will be Sc
| down as absent without leave and th'
machinery OF the army will be set In mo
/ ton TO bring him in.
In addition all State and municipa
police authorities and United Statei
! uarshals will be used to apprehend him
When It is clear that he is wllfully alb
senting himself, with no intention Of re
| porting to the army, charge OF deser
ton will be placed against him.
$50 for Each Deserter.
J Supplementing this statement, Ger
Crowder pointed out that once any reg
istered person through his failure TO ap
near before either a district board o
his board of appeals had established hi
status as a deserter from the army h
can be apprehended by any person, VIII
may turn him over 20 the military gu
thorities and claim reward OF $50 un
der the law.
Whether or not the persons partici
pating In these lawless acts In Oklahom
have been registered is a matter OF som
doubt II not registered those With
the prescribed ages can be arrested a
once by the state authorities for failur
to comply with the law. Failure to reg
ister, 1t was pointed out to-day at tn
Department OF Justice, Is made spe
cifc offence under the law. The lay
does not, however. prescribe any penal
ties for the failure OF registered person
to appear when called for examination
the reason being that In theory such per
sens are regarded as already enrolled 1
the army and are to be dealt with b
court-mar rtial for the crime OF desertioi
As to those who are aiding or abettin
the resi&tera the situation In dirreren
While tho Government will make n
effort TO bring IN men who DO not ODE
the aummonS of the local aelectio