New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-03
First-P Paper Aliens
To Be Drafted, but Can't Vobu,,.
for Technical Work
To tn. Editor Of The Tribun.


Sir: Allow me TO voice through VA.
teened columns a protest against a 81
situation, due TO an application Of N. I.
law, which is discommoding a lary. nur.H
Of educated and highly specialized M, -.
zens Of draft age.
One expression, which occurs in
utterance Of General Crowder, that the S,,a
laws were enacted solely for the be,.s.
the country and not in the interes. Of ~.
individual, brings into sharp relief the a..
dalous conflict Of the draft law with il, !.
terpretation, as well as with the old l,,,
governing the various departments Of u,
national government and Of the army.
According TO the old and established a..
Of the country an alien who has taken -,
his first citizenship papers is not eligible ..
any position ~ the service Of the Upt..
States, with the exception perhaps Of pr.
minor and inconsequential ones; the Ere
paper alien is barred from the civil s.r;.,
examinations, is refused the priyileg. o.
passport, he is not allowed to apply for ,o-
missions in the Officers Reserve Corr, -.
other similar military units where he min,
otherwise be easily qualified on account 4,
his training and experience. So, up 70 y,
time Of the draft the frst-paper man ~,
possessed some degree Of technical tni,,
ing found no encouragement or ineentiv,
to volunteer, for on every side he found hin.
self carefully blocked from getting a.c,s
to positions where he might be Of some "a.
to his country Of adoption. he might h,,.
been no Stacker, but, despite his own sent.
ments in the matter, he found himself in q,
class usually termed "undesirables"
Getting the Aliens
Now, when the draft law came 20 be e,,.
sdered there was a violent howl about gel.
ting the aliens; everybody, from the Chi.
Executive down to the puniest county shers
wanted to nail all the foreigners-frst psp.,
or no psper--the so-called slackers who had
insidiously crept into the country and vsr,
working their heads of all day long-py.
haps for SO 20 SIS a week-to absorb IA.
wealth OF the country. They finally settled
il by making the frst-paper man the goat.
As matters stand now, the frst-psper mar
no matter what his training may be, is bound
to be drafted as a common private, and hj
protests and demands for justice will ava
him nothing. Yet Provost Marshal Gen.r
Crowder loudly proclaims that the draft lsy,
were made for the supreme interest and So,
benefit Of the country.
This unfortunate situation affects the d,,
TIMES Of a respectable number OF men. |,
the last issue of The Journal OF the Amer
lean Medical Association" We notice an ed.
torisl comment on the plight Of irst.pspr
medical men. what shall do; shall have
to be drafted as a common private" cries
one poor doctor o: Canadian birth who il
now in the clutches Of the draft law. Il is,
real plight, not only for the men concerned
but also for those who have the interest o,
the country at heart and have in their chargs
the control of its destinies in the war.
He Tried TO Volunteer
This letter is not written for the purpose
Of relating my own unpleasant experiences
but TO expose the main features Of a ger.
eral situation and TO urge the immediate
adoption Of adequate remedial measures
Hence, | shall restrict myself 10 a few re.
marks with regard 70 my own case. an 4
graduate and a postgraduate OF one OF tie
famous universities Of the East | am o.
draft age and have ny first papers, plsaH
do not accuse nc of laxity for not securing
my second papers-.the fault there is noi
mine. | have specialized in a scientific
branch OF learning and have taught in more
than one American university. Some people
who know "a few things about me and also
know somewhat about army affairs tell ne
that am qualified for certain kinds Of tech
meal commissions in the Signal Corps O.
the army, and that | should be able to apply
for commission in the Officers Reserve
Corps or some other organization. During
the pre-draft years and also during the post
draft months ! have earnestly and honesty
without trying TO pull political wires) a.
tempted 10 secure a suitable position, but
with no success.
Only recently had the pleasure Of being
refused an audience in New York City IN
the offices of the aviation section, on Nassau
Street; an Immediately groomed captain
who seemed TO have plenty OF time and lsH.
ure TO parade before an admring set OF
stenographers, sept ne a message that n
could not talk 10 me on the subject OF al
mittance TO service unless came 20 him FUZZY
armed with my complete quota Of natursh".
ton papers. One Of the members OF my loeh
board put it this way, The draft is gong "
get you, going and coming" in answer 70
nv question as 10 whether ! could ean
elienism. in view Of the obvious Set.contlS
dic.ion of the draft law and in view OF M
fact that in every department Of the govern
ment I am still regarded as an alien
harmless lawyer he appeared to be, II 20.
can imagine one. and he seemed 10 ia"
much innocent, childish pleasure IN repeal
ing his favorite chorus: I'VE are going
get you every time, going and coming
A. y. LUCIAN.
Hartford. Conn, Aug. %. 1917.