The sun., 1917-07-19
DRAFTFAVORS,
LAID TO CHIEFS
In NWARBUREAU
Director of Census Says
Bakers Department Named
AppOrtiOnment Method.
ILLEGALITY is CHARGED
Representative McCulloch As
serts Aim of Law Has
Been Violated.

WAsHIHoToN, July 1s.-The storm Of
protest which has gone up from all ex-
cept the Southern States over the draft
apportionment worked out by the War
Department and the Census once gath
cred force at the Capitol to-day. Pro-
tests BY letter and telegraph poured into
Washington from all quarters. II was
admitted by the census officials that the
peculiar method used in determining
State quotas places an excessive burden.
on Northern States and may be contrary
to the letter and spirit OF the selective
law.
Responsibility for this method was
placed squarely upon the War Depart
ment. The Use OF unv method, which
based the appprtionment on registration
returns and not on State population esti-
mates, was selected by the War Depart
nient. according to Director Of the Gen.
sus Rogers. The census statisticians
merely did the mechanical work of
working out percentages and totals.
Moves for investigation.
In letter sent to Secretary Baker
Representative Mcculloch declared that
may result In the breaking down Of the
law. McCulloch introduced In the House
q resolution calling on the Secretaries Of
War and Commerce to inform the House
how such peculiar estimates OF State
populations were arrived at.
Director Of the Census Rogers trans
mitted to the Senate through the Secre-
tary of Commerce the information re-
quired by the Brandegee resolution.
This reply says that the Census once
In estimating State populations to form
the basis OF State quotas demanded by
the law used this method:
The population Of continental United
States was estimated on the basis Of a
normal increase over the figures Of the
1910 census With this as a total the
census experts took the registration re-
turns for the country and estimated that
they represented $50 per cent. OF the
total population. los. 900. 900. Working
backward for each State the registra-
ton returns were taken as representing
s.af per cent of the total population OF
the stats. and the War Department re-
qnirsd that each State furnish q quota
based upon a population 10 estimated.
Therresult OF this methvd Of computa-
ton is 70 force heavy quotas from States
where-A large percentage Of ths popuia-
ton registered and correspondingly
smaller quotas from States where a
small proportion OF the population
registered, regardless OF the actual pop
uiation OF the State. The effect was to
relieve greatly the burden of conscrip-
tlon from Southern States, where a
smaller percentage Of the population is
affected by the registration law. and to
Increase the burden upon Northern
states, where larger proportion of the
population comprises males of military
age.
Rogers Offers Explanation.
When pressed as to his reasons for
adopting this system instead of a
straight mathematical calculation as to
State populations, Mr.. Rogers said that
the mathematical calculation was used
In obtaining State populations only in
arriving at the population of continental
United States. He explained that the
method to be used had been selected by
the War Department: that Il was not
for the census bureau to construe the
law. and that his assistants had only
made estimates and calculations re-
auested by the War Department on
bases established by the latter
In his reply to the Senate resolution,
Mr.. Rogers. II Is understood, does not
explain that the War Department estab-
lished the basis for his calculations but
defends that basis as the only one by
which the vagaries of population move-
ments from one section of the country
to another could be averted. The reply
probably will be laid before the Senate
and made public tomorrow
Points Out Unfairness.
The Census Bureau. Representative
McCulloch charges in his letter to Secre-
tary Baker, has manipulated the figures
so that the agricultural South has been
favored at the expense OF the rest Of the
country. The conscription law. he said.
expressly provided that the quotas
should be fxed In proportion to the pop
ulation. McCulloch's letter to Secretary
Baker reoited:
III the estimates were to have been
made on the basis OF registration Con-
gress would SO have provided. II the
War Department intended to diverge
from the strict letter OF the law and
flgure the number OF conscripts from the
registered rather than from the actual
population. in order to be fair It should
have excluded from the registration at
least the unnaturaliZed foreigners and
alien enemies. II that had been done
II Is altogether probable that a result
would have been obtained which would
have been unobjectionsble although
stil II would have been illegal.
II believe that II would be dangerous
for the War Department. no matter how
equitable It would appear to be, to figure
the quota upon the registration when the
law specifically provides the quotas
must be the figures according TO actual
population, for there are those who
might be only too glad to take advantage
Of any technicality to attack the law
and upset the whole draft as being
illegal and unlawful"
McCulloch cited the following tables
to disclose the discriminatory part oi
the Census Bureau and the admins
traitors Of conseription Of which he com.
planned:
SOUTHERN STATES.
PreregistratiOn Registration
Quotas. Quotas.
Alabama. mn.".''''''''''''' so'ysv n,eW
Arkansas. s......"...,.. 1857 11W2