Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-08-09
)RkFT RES|STERS
| GAN Be EXECUTED
fhey Face Court Martial as War
time Deserters, Says Gen.
eral CrOwder.

wa shington, Aug. 5.-While the govern
ent is prepared to act with an iron hand
paiust any armed resistance such as has
Fen threatened in the South against the
raft law, it is believed by high officials
hat the situation will be mastered with
lt resort to extreme measures.
In n formal statement of the govern
Aent's attitude toward the disturbances in
Forth Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma,
,st issued, Brighten. Crowder, provost
harshal general, explains that there Is
othing to resist at this stage in the ec;S-
tuition of the law" and that the demon
krations now being threatened against
bcal boards ARE simply futile strokes in
he air"
General Crowder issued his statement
fter he had been in conference with
ecretary of War Baker and William Fits
he assistant encouragement in charge
L the enforcement Of the draft law In
he conference careful consideration was
iyen to reports from federal Investigators
the sporadic outbreaks an dto threats
h intention to oppose the draft law with
rmed resistance in North Carolina, Okla
oma, and Georgia. A message from the
overnor of North Carolina stated that
two townhips in the western or noun
hinous part of that State, entire commu-
titles were preparing to resist the draft.
bn the basis of this and other information,
he departments of war and justice took
Prompt and what are regarded as effective
teps for coping with any emergency.
The statement issued by General Crow
Ter follows:
press reports and other advices re-
Eeived indicate that in one or two widely
eparated districts individuals informed
t-~. ,w.I tc
GUIDED as to it's result, are threatening
forcible resistance to the draft.
There is nothing to resist at this stage
n the execution of the law. All male per.
bons between the ages Of 81 and 80 in.
Elusive have been enrolled for militar.
bervices. A preliminary call has gone
Forth to some such persons. but the i'm
mediate and actual object of this call |.
merely to provide an opportunity for such
persons, or for some one else in respec
BIZ them, to present to the government
reasons why they should not be fnall!
ordered to report for military duty. L
such persons do not appear and presen
these reasons they have simply neglected
10 take advantage of an opportunity tina
was offered solely for their benefit.
SUBJECT TO MILITARY LAW.
opportunity does not interfere with tn
raising Of the army. and interests tn
government only as punishable crime o
omission. If they do not desire to max
any such claims, or IL, for any other rea
son. they fail to appear, their names ar
automatically posted as having bee
called and not exempted or discharged
automatically also they are indicted int
the military services and made subJec
10 military law. Failure to appear merel
hastens this automatic process.
when the time allowed for maxim
these claims has elapsed these person
will be enrolled as in the militar
service. They will then be ordered
appear as soldiers: from this point o
they will be under the swift and sum
mary procedure Of courts martha
Failure to report for military dut
when ordered to do so constitutes de
sertion. Desertion in time Of war Is
capital offense. Deserters may be ar
pretended by either civil or militar
authority. and after the mandate {
the federal government has gone fort
the whole strength Of the militar
arm Of the government Is availabl
to apprehend deserters. II 1t Is necei
sary to use such force.
Demonstrations against loci
boards are simply futile strokes IN II
air. All the records necessary to no
such persons are already on file ;
State headquarters and at the Nations
Capital. and since local boards ha'
no occasion to use any force in simp
offering a beneficial opportunity
registered persons, there is no fie
for resistance. If resistance Is a
tempted later when the army seeks
apprehend deserters. 1t will instant
encounter troops Of the fedral go
ernment"