The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1917-07-07
HANDS OFF DRAFT
STRAIGHT WARNING TO EVERY
POLITICIAN WHO MAY WISH
TO INTERFERE.
NO FAvoRITIsM TOLERATED
imprisonment viii Be the Fate Of
Anyone Who Seeks to Secure the
Release of Any Man-crowder De-
termined on Fairness.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

Washington.-Poiiti by an in
direction that Is direction itself are
warned by the administration to keep
their hands Off the draft machine.
The fear of the people seems to be
that favOritism will be shown in the
draft and by this is meant in the actu-
al drawing of names. Washington
knows all about this fear and 1t Is de-
termined that any politician who at
tempts by favoritism. either in the
matter of exemption or in the matter
Of the draft, to secure release for one
man and service for another, shall go
to Jail. The federal government, es-
pecially in time of war, has habit
of carrying out its intentions.
/ Some time ago IT was said that the
people could give over all fear that
there would be either favoritism or
crookedness In the operation of draw
Ing the names of men for service In
the army. This word can be repeated
today system will be devised WHICH
no politician can beat, let him try his
crooked best. The names will be drawn
with absolute fairness and by system
above reproach.
There is not today In official ranks
In Washington any fear whatsoever
that trouble is to come through the
draft operations. There Is fear that
when the exemptions are determined
there may be attempts TO secure i'm
munity for one man and service for
another when both are equally fit for
the army. II can be said. however.
that before the official exemption steps
are taken safeguards will be devised
which II is believed will hold the
process safe from just criticism. That
there will be kicking here and there
is expected, but with favoritism7
proof plan the officials believe they
can withstand the assaults Of the al
ways suspicious.
crowder viii Have Fairness.
An intimate knowledge Of the plan
nings and the workings of Provost
Marshal General Crowder's Office since
he was assigned to his huge task
makes one know that every possible
means was taken to conduct the reg
istration fairly and Is being taken 10
keep exemptions and the draft itself
above the faint Of ,reproach. General
Crowder Is as conscientious man as
lives. l have known him for more than
30 years. He is as straight as a right
line.
The officers of the provost marshal
generals Office are not legislators.
Congress passed the bill which contain
a punishment clause for interference
with the operations Of the selective
service act The department of justice,
will see to Ii that any man who for
any reason tries to compass the escape
from draft of man who is fit physi-
cally for the service, at the expense Of
some other man to whom the lot has
not fallen, shall be punished as the
law provides.
officials in Washington do not say
So but unquestionably there Is feel
turn to the politicians for the means
Of escape. The politicians are sup
posed to be able to influence the sun,
the moon. the stars, the tides and the
winds. Generally speaking, perhaps,
they can. In this specific case they
probably will find that they cannot.
There Is jail for the man who tries
10 send one mothers son to the front
in the place of another mothers son
whose duty IT Is to go.
For Big Air Army.
Congress has been asked by the ma
tional council of defense to appropri-
ate a huge sum of money to carry into
effect q nrnpram of aircraft nroduc-