Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1917-07-06
STRAIGHT WARNING TO EVERY
POLITICIAN WHO MAY WISH
TO INTERFERE.
NO FAv0RITlSM TOLERATED
Imprisonment Will Be the Fate of
Anyone Who Seeks to Secure the
Release of Any Man-crowder De-
termined on Fairness.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

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 it is de-
termined that any politician who at
tempts by favoritism, either in the
matter of exemption or in the matter
Of the draft, tG secure release for one
man and service for another, shall go
10 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 coulG 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. A system will be devised which
mo 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. 1t can be said, however.
that before the official exemption steps
are taken safeguards will be devised
which it is believed will hold the
process safe from just criticism. That
there will be kicking here and there
is expected, but with favoritism-
proof plan the officials believe they
can withstand the assaults Of the al
ways suspicious.
Crowder Will 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. have known him for more than
80 years. He is as straight as 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 selectiye
service act. The department of justice
will see to it that any man who for
any reason tries to compass the escape
from draft of a man who is fit physi-
eally 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
ing that men who want to escape will
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
to 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 program of aircraft produc-
ton through which it is hoped that
American aviators will dominate the
enemy on the fighting lines in Europe.
1t seems probable that the American
flying corps, instead of numbering it's
pilots and it's observers by a few
scores, soon will number them by the
thousand scores. There are a good
many things in the aviation service
which the American youth does not
know. 1t is apparent that the army
desires that the information be im-
parted.
Little by little the war department
is giving out information about army
aviation plans. From the other side
of the water and from this side too
have come urgent appeals that Uncle
Sam train fliers by the hundred thou
sands and build machines enough to
send them all soaring.
1t is known that at some of the
officers reserve corps camps few of
the men have shown desire TO enter
the air service. Hasty judgment
passed in this matter has made it APP
pear that young Americans are afraid
of the air. This is far from the truth.
They are just as willing to take
chances aloft as they are on the
ground. The reason for holding back
is that the young fellows in training
for commissions and the thousands
of young men in training for army
service have not been properly In
formed concerning the training and
the duties for scouting and fighting in
the air.