Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-11
JOB-HUNTING
IN WARTIME
Many Young Patriots Eager to
Do Their Fighting in
Washington
Special Correspondence, Of the Evening Ledger

| WASHINGTON, ID. C., Aug io'
NNE does not have to 20 to Oklahoma
~ or to Arizona. or to Montana, to find
American citizens who are not disposed tc
take up arms for the war In Europe. There
are many others nearer home who are I'm
bued with the same idea. They are not all
poor young men either. Some OF them are
well-to-do. They may not run to the noun
tains and form ambuscades 70 resist the
officers OF tho law: thcy simply seek easier
methods OF avoiding the service.
There is tho unmarried, able-boded chap
who has closely read the law and the reg
ulations, who is already in the Federal
service. He is legion In Washington jus
now. Then there Is that other clever FELLOW
who never had to work very hard, who II
he is not in some one of the departments OF
the Government now, Is moving heaven
! and earth to get there. These youns
patriots have observed that the sons OF GER
tain rich men have become "yeomen' on
| nrivate Yachts ito chase German sub
marines.' in inland waters, or are sS.ng into
uniform as chauffeurs for military and
naval officers. or for inspection purposes"
ana they sre WHii"s W ~" ~. co,ra,
whether Il be on the farm, in the secret
Service or In some other Government
place.
II Is necessary, OF course, to I'LL many OF
these positions and to man the various VOL
untary agencies like the Red Cross ana the
advisory committees of the Council OF Ma
tionul Defense, and many worthy young
mon do their service In this way But IL mas
been publicly intimated more than once
I'm washington that some of these instltu-
tions are convenient lodges ior lafo'itse o,,
who prefer to serve their coui.iy III w
United States. To certain extent ''e n,'oie
or less lurid pronunclafnentos VI i.,
Marshal General Crowder ana ol"oi
about capital punishment Ior vioia'o,s 70
the conscription law nave stirred up
ing among the rank ana ME tnat uI,oso
young men whom the ADMINISTRATOR see,o
to favor for easy positions shoulu take 'nsN
chances with the boys VINO nave 10 uo t''o
fighting. This holds especially with respect
to aliens who are not swearing In lot tneir
own countries and who display no oispoSi
ton to fight for ours.
,,-l M...,,ro
"A Harsh he""ui'
1t cannot be denied now, as it was not
when the bill was before Congress- Una.
conscription Is a harsh measure. Presloeh.
Wilson was so anxious to have II passeo
that he rushed" Congress even Delore
Canada, which was more directly concerned
In the war, had enacted such law. In
many cases 1t has already torn some very
excellent young American business men
from the civic occupations they had equip
ped themselves for and thrown them into
the army ranks 1t has disinembered fami-
lies in the United states and caused great
concern to the parents and friends of those
who have patrotically entered the service
but all this was foreseen by Congress when
the law was enacted
The President said he must have men to
prosecute the war. and as that was self
evident. Congress passed the bill The difh-
cult!es that have arisen in oklahoma and
other States have been due to the fact that
the people generally did not understand the
ready in some nlaces to make the supreme
sacrifice that the law contemplated. NO law
abiding citizen OF course. VIII now advocate
any otner course than strict observance
OF the law. put speeches made IN Congress
ana expianations MADE py Representatives
outside OF congress are beginning to reveal
u.e serious 'nousn. Oh ,ne people on con-
TTlptlOIl as II IL were NKely 10 become u