Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-03
every REASON
Maine to Be Proud of
Draft Says Governor
New Regulations for SeIective Law
Will Go into Effect Within Few Days
One Vital Feature Which If Needed
Will Facilitate Laws Operation

Within few days, the new regula-
tiOns for the Selective Draft Law will
90 into effect in Maine. There is at
least one vital feature to these regula-
tiuns that. if properly understood and
needed, viii not only facilitate the
operation of the law, but will also add
greatly to the peace Of mind of the
mon to be selected and the members Of
their families.
Maine has every reason TO he proud
of her part in tho draft up to this
time" said Governor Milllkcn Satur-
day.
The registration was accomplished
with no trouble whatever and the sec
Und phase. that is, the calling and de-
livery Of the first quota to the Camp.
is now practically completed. This
has been accomplished with very little
trouble and with practically no display
Of the Stacker spirit.
The one feature Of the law which
has caused tho greatest Inconvenience
and no little hardship is the hard and
fast rule that in notifying a rcgiStrant
Of amy stop hc must take III connection
with the draft it is not the duty of the
government to reach the man by mail
or otherwise, but it is the duty of the
man to keep in touch with the Local
Board having jurisdiction over him.
IL other words ii is the duty Of the
man To know all the time whether or
not he has been called for physical
examination or for some other step
and not the duty of the Board to find
him and make sure that he has been
notified.
The new regulations put this in
the following very emphatic language:
Either the mailing of such notice
or the entry of such date in the class
ilication list shall constitute the giving
Of notice to tho registrant and to all
concerned and snail charge the regis
trant and All concerned with notice of
the day upon which such duty is to be
performed or the beginning of the run
il & of the time within which such
duty must be performed or such right
Of privilege may be claimed, regard
lcSs Of whether Or not mailed notice
or QUESTIONABLE is actually received
by the rcgistrant or tho person.
Hundreds of mon working in the
woods Or upon the sea and hundreds
Of other men whose occupations arc
such that they go about from place 10
place. have failed to receive their
mailed notices and have entirely failed
to comprehend the necessity for keep
ing in touch with their Local Boards.
The process Of selection. moving
forward in the perfect time arranged
and prescribed by the Provost Marshal
General, has finally placed these men
ON the Stacker list A number of
them have been reported to Washing
ton as dcserters, when really their only
crime was that they depended upon
inc Local Boards to reach them, al
though II was entirely their duty to
keep in touch with the Local Boards.
IN some cases mon have felt aggrieved
when they found their names on the
Stacker lists and have pleaded with
the office Of the State Provost Marshal
that they never received any Of the
notices. This plea. Whilc based on
fact. beyond any doubt whatever. has
not been entertained and cannot he en-
tcrtamcd under the law
AS ! have already said the new
Regulations make this feature Of the
law oven more stringent than ever be
fore and therefore it is incumbent
upon every man. who has changed his
address since he registered on June >,
10 Immediately notify the Local Board.
having jurisdiction over the place
where he registered on June 9Th. Of his
present address. In case Of doubt as
to that Board, this information should
be sent to the Office Of the Adiutant
General at Augusta. and the notice
should contain, first, the full name Of
the registrant, the city or town and
ward in which he registered, the home
address given on his registration card
and MS present mail address. Whcr-
ever possible, forwarding address
should be avoided as in at least
hundred cases persons who have do
pended upon others to forward mail
TO them have automatically become de-
serters through tho failure of those
persons TO perform the duty of FOR
warding mail
Employers If labor. such as h,mher
companies, railroads. shoe manufacture
ers and textile mills, can perforr,
very real kindness for their emn,ov..,