Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-03
ADOPT NEW RULE TO
CATCH SLACKERS
Registrants Ignoring Summons Con-
sidered Drafted
PROCEDURE WILL BE GRADUAL
Bound Up With Red Tape, But Will
Eventually Bring Them to Mobi-
Iization Camp

Registered persons who ignore sum
mons from local boards to report for
examinations under the draft law are
storing up grave trouble for them
selves. A supplement to the regula-
tions issued by the President makes
this apparent.
Upon failure to report, or refusal to
submit to examination, the name of
the person concerned will be forward
ed to the proper authorities. The
person will be notified that he is re
garded phyically fit and held for the
military service. If he continues to
disobey the law to the extent of ig
oring the notice to proceed to the mo-
bilization point, he is liable to pun
ishment as a deserter which in war
time may be death
The procedure in such cases is
gradual but sure The name of per
sons certified to district boards who
do not file claim within the time pre-
scribed will be listed. Those who ap-
pear or file claims will have their
names cancelled from the list.
The District Board will then for
ward the list to the adjutant general
of the state, stating that persons
whose names are listed have been
called for military service, have not
responded and have not been exempt
ed or discharged
The adjutant general will then mail
to those persons listed notice in
forming him that he has been select
ed for military service and ordering
him to report for military service to
the adjutant within five days. From
that time the person notified is in the
military service of the United States.
Those who ignore this last summons
are then posted to the Adjutant Gen
eral of the Army Procedure against
them as deserters may then be started
Secretary Baker is satisfied with
the progress of the draft. Despite the
small number of actuual acceptances
for the National Army he pointed out
today that the machinery is working
just about as it had been designed to
work.
"It must be remembered" he said
yesterday that all claims for exemp-
ton on the ground of dependents will
be automatically appealed The num-
Der of these claims has not increased
since the registration. Even if many
of them are not allowed by the local
boards they will be allowed by the
board of appeal.
To Augment Draft Boards.
In view of the numerous claims for
exemption by drafted men who have
been found physically fit, Provost Mar
shall General Crowder is adopting
measures calculated to put check
on local boards who may construe
too literally the provisions govern
ing the methods of procedure.
In a telegram received by Adju-
tant Gen Warfeld, Gen. Crowder di-
rects that a meeting Of the three ap-
peal boards be held at an early day
at which uniform system may be
adopted in the disposition of such
cases as may come before them. 1t
is desirable that the same rules ap-
ply in the conduct of affairs and that
there be no conflict in decisions.
Adjutant General Warfield prompt
| ly notified the Governor and it was
decided to notify the members of the
| three boards to meet at the Office of
, the Governor in the Union Trust
Building next Monday morning at IL
O'Clock The action then taken will
have an important bearing on the
handling of the many cases to be
passed upon Millard F. Burgess,
one of the members of the Appeal
Board in the Western Maryland dis
trict is i'll and will be unable to
serve for at least three or four
weeks. He is now absent from home
and has asked to be relieved. The
Governor has appointed another
leading citizen of Baltimore county
in his stead and the name was sent
to washington yeterday for confir-
nation.
Government Men On Job.
General Crowder has also directed
the appointment in the name OF the
President of one or more men in each
district to serve as representatives OF
the government In the telegram
embodying the instructions General
| Warfield is advised that these men
need not necessarily be awyers. At
| the same time the suggestion is made
that the states attorney in the coun-
ties and in the city might be asked
to serve. The Governor will be
called upon to designate the officials,
OF course, he will not be expected
| to do the work alone but would have