Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-26


cclonel, however. has received a letter
from the War Department, dated July
-. saying that the blanks have been
y oklpped.
3t Hundreds and even thousands, of persons
4 potween the ages Of twenty-one and thirty
4 ene. who registered for the selective draft
y philadelphia. or as residents of Phila-
deiphia, may have to answer to the charge
of being deserters. through apparent laxity
'Ncf the local boards that conducted the reg
K. tBtration on June s.
,NS Many of these men who have enlisted in
oome branch OF the army or navy since
IS registration day. who were already in
\ the Federal or State military or naval SER
n Vice on June 5, are facing the possibility
y % being branded deserters, although they
y may be doing their Bit in the trenches in
Il France when the new national army Is sent
B to the cantonments.
The Board of Registration Commission
\ ers In City Hall. although 1t has officially
nothing to do with the registration and ex.
y enptions. has been receiving scores of let
ters and kilograms daily from all parts of
Y the country from men who registered in
= this city and who are now in other parts
Of the country, as residents OF Philadelphia.
Most OF them ask for their serial numbers,
and whenever these can be given they are
esnt st once.
BLAME LOCAL BOARDS
a big majority of these registration cards
9 sent in. however, do not give the addresses
81 the men. or even the ward in which they
elaim residence. SO that they cannot be lo-
Gated to be given a serial number. The
DoArd OF Registration Commissioners blame
-the local registration boards for this
\. Under the selective draft law, notice
10 appear before the district exemption
3 boards on a certain date will be mailed
Il TO whatever address appears on the regis
\ tfAtion cards. If the man does not appear
when he is called. a certificate will be sent
N 70 Harrisburg and to Washington that the
man Is physically At and does not claim
Y exemption. He will be drafted for the
n national army. and notice to this effect
x win be sent to the address on the registra-
N t3on card. When he fails to appear at the
X oartonment, his name will be posted as
z 6Aserter.
3ss when the address on the registration card
z reAds only philadelphia" as II does in
& many cases, the men may face desertion
"A charge Just the same. as the selective draft
X law as Interpreted by the registration COM
( 1aibsioners, places the responsibility for
= receiving the notices upon each man reg
s iAtered.
|{x TYPICAL
Y zl In the cases Of the registered men who
have enlisted irs the National Guard or In
the navy or Federal army, the state Adju-
\ fkut Generals office has sent certifcations
- this effect to the Registration Commits
sf6ners, instead of to the district exemption
boards The Hesistra,lon . AZ a. .
Ss.se. h,a rds whenever the enlisted mans
PROPER district can be determined
8 In hundreds of cases, however, these men
Y Who have enlisted have only the general
address philadelphia" after their names
8 or the numbers of precincts ana wsrus
which do not exist are given. One instance
4 OF this reached the registration commits
( eioners today when one man, according to
the card lived in the 146th Ward.
although these men are activsH ssi 's ns
their country. the dlstrict p~oaius ~ WIZ ~.
nave the certincatiohs Oh ehiet,ne, no .,a'
n would exempt tneni, ann ,,,' tne &c he bra andsd
W tor not appearing at the cahtohmehts VI
the national army - . and
The NUMBER oi ie'.e.S, ,.. 49,, oom,n,s-
~ cerds received py 'ne .Snn dai,w since the
# etouers mas reacneu -ovv uena ,,,aau
drawing was mace III "as"'"s'''' "e''
y n9o.
Ths commissioners also are daily receiv
= ins requests from wives who want TO makt
AZ ss,rs that their husband are sent to France
s 7T fSne woman who lives In the Forty-second
al yvard. today wrote to the commissioners
4; fS1iinS them that she is the mother OF hve
z " 20 never supported them. She said that
IN 49, busband has announced his intention OF
Sosrd to refuse the exemption.
X " ro, ,cr SERVICE
TO KEEP UP Poi1l|E @nN'
N #superintendent Robinson TO-DAY issued III
4 4 ~<~,,rt,ons IN ALI police captains in the cit,
Ma, ,- cs- y -. ,v,,,,.a,.ta,v the names OF
WI ~ Me with nun i''ii'euiay -.
"a All policemen who are likely 10 oe caiiee
- the first draft
q IA possible point of efficiency. 1t is hi'
K; ,<snt,on 10 have substitutes to take place
E< 3<-H.s ....o ,,.ay he called to the colors