The Washington herald., 1917-06-08
UNEARTHS PLOT
TO KILL DRAFT
Milwaukee Editor Reveals
to Wilson Plan to Over
throw Military Program.

Registration over, the government
yesterday moved rapidly toward the
draft. Meanwhile agents Of the de-
partment Of Justice were engaged IN
q swinging roundup Of slackers and
snti-conscriptionists More than 800
arrests were made during the day.
according to unofficial reports, while
last night It was estimated several
thousand offenders were being held in
jails.
s.:t charEss Of an OEEanized plot in the
draft were laid before President
Wilson by L. W.. Heiman, editor of q
Milwaukee newspaper. He declared
influences were at work to overthrow
the entire military program of the
nation.
While Secretary Of War Baker was
congratulating the men Of the nation
on their response to the call to regis
ter, Provost Marshal General Crow
der made his first move for dealing
with the question of exemptions. Re-
cent of the men who. registered on
Tuesday claimed exemption from
military service. many on the broad
est grounds.
- - Arrests In Many cities.
Arrests for evasion of or propaganda
against the eonscription law were
made yesterday In many cities. The
Department.. Of Justice struck espe-
cially hard at the 1. w. W., which
has been engaged IN violent anti
draft campaign: Federal agents took
into custody 40 members OF this or
ganization in Rockford, Freeport, and
Belvidere, Ill. The Chicago office OF
the Department of Justice has spe-
cial agents on the scene to prosecute
the cases.
Leaving to his assistants the work
OF compiling. official returns from the
States. which were coming in very
slowly, Gen. Crowder yesterday turn
ed his attention completely to the
question Of exemptions.
1t was declared decisively that moth
ing like the number of exemptions
claimed would be allowed. Out. Of the
total of 100000 or more meh who
registered, at least one in four, or
$500, 900. will be drafted for army duty
IL necessary. 1t is estimated that
not pass the army physical eXaminR-
ton. That leaves 5000, 900 from which
to select 2,5Oo.0OO after ali exemptions
are made.
The general plan for exemption ma
ehinery was given yesterday as fol-
There will be a local. exemption
board for approximately each $1,000 of
population. These boards will be ap-
pointed by the President, but because
Of the magnitude Of the task, gen.
eral plan for their selection. to oper-
ate in all cases, has been prepared for
the Presidents action.
2-These local boards will deal espe-
eially with ''self-executing exemp-
tionS." that Is, those in which ex-
emption depends only upon the de-
termination Of facts, as, for example.
whether a man is a Federal State or
judicial ofttcer, whether he Is a clergy
man, or whether he comes in any way
within the classification for which ex-
smption Is specifically provided in the
law.
Plan Boards OF Review.
SIN each Federal judicial district
there will be at least one board Of re-
view to which an appeal may be taken
from the local boards and which will
have also original Jurisdiction in the
exclusion or discharge from the draft
Of persons engaged in industry, in
cluding agriculture, found to be nee
essary to the maintenance Of the
military establishment or the effective
operation Of the military forces or
for the maintenance Of, the national
interest during the emergency"
Department officials yesterday set
aside on the exempt list all married
men.
1t was explained. however, that this
must not be taken as an indication
that married men as a class will be
exempt. Indeed, Provost Marshal
Gen. Crowder declared there would
be no class exemptions. Whether mar
ried men will be exempt or will no.
be cannot be known until President
Wilson promulgates the exemption
regulations.