The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-09-19
UNJUST CRITICISM
OF THE DRAFTED MAN

The following from the Tampa
Times is very appropriate just now:
Some people have repeatedly offer
ed unjust criticism of the young men
who waited for the draft law to oper-
ate instead Of voluntarily enlisting in
one of the local companies, and such
criticism is, to say the least, disgust
ing.
Any man of service age who tries
to avoid service without having just
cause therefor deserves condemnation,
and these "slackers" are getting what
they deserve.
The young men who enlisted with
out waiting for the call are indeed
worthy of praise, and they are getting
what they deserve. A majority of
these, though, have no dependents,
and are free to do as they please.
This fact, however, should not be al
lowed to lessen the esteem in which
they are held.
A majority of the selected men,
though, have had reasons for not en-.
listing. Some of them have loved
ones who are either partially depend
net on them or who are i'll and old;
some have begun their business ca
reers and do not wish to sustain losses
that will affect their futures and
those of others; some contemplated
early marriages, and they very natu-
rally hesitated to leave their intended
brides when there has, until recently,
seemingly been no reason for doing
so.
The strength of the Austro-German
alliance, together with the ideals for
which the allies are fighting, has only
| dawned upon the American people in
recent months. Most Americans have
| been confident that the allies could
whip the Prussians and their whelps
| without our aid, but as the fact dawns
| upon them that American aid is i'm
perative, they naturally become more
willing to serve. 1t has taken a lot
of effective publicity to let our peo-
| PIE know the truth of conditions in
Europe, and even more to counterfeit
the influence of utterances spoken
and published by wilful traitors and
ignorant fools in this country. There
fore millions of men who would quick
| ly rise were this country attacked
have refrained from volunteering for
service across the Atlantic.
There are thousands of men who
have done their, best to get into some
branch of the service, but who have
been turned down for physical and
other reasons. There are millions
who are heartsore because conditions
IN their lives, age included, prevent
them from serving, and these will al
ways cherish a little resentment at
the fact that they were made by con-
ditions over which they had no con-
troll to appear in a cowardly role.
The bravest men don't always go to
war; the man who knows what real
hades is, the brave man who is of
necessity left behind.
1t is an honor to be selected for
service to this country in time o.
war, and it is an honor to be accept
ed after undergoing examination.
| These men who have been selected
will fight just as we'll as those who
have volunteered, and criticism Of
them comes with bad grace from any
man or woman. But these have the
right to go the limit in criticising
those who endeavored to escape ser
vice without having warrant therefor.
The Times knows young men who
have been drafted who leave aged
parents behind who will be dead be-
fore they return, and if this isn't