Omaha daily bee., 1917-08-05
SLACKERS DREAM
OF REVOLUTION
IN OKLAHOMA
Between 500 and 1900 Draft
Registrants Are at Liberty
in Rugged ThiCkets Gov
ering Many Miles.

Washington, Aug. 4.-Persons re-
sisting the draft law, Department
of Justice officials announced to-
day, whether in Oklahoma or else
where, will be sought out, run down
and brought before the proper au-
thorities, no matter at what cost.
Provost Marshal General Crowder
and Assistant Attorney General
Fits, inscharge of the enforcement
of the draft law, conferred at length
today as 70 steps to be taken to
check anti-draft agitators in North
Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma and
other localities.
The War department is in close
touch with the situation and is pre-.
pared to take drastic and effective
steps if necessary in the affected dis
tricts. Secretary Baker or General
Crowder probably will issue a state
ment outlining the departments po-
sition later today. Just what steps
will be taken to bring to justice the
men who are spreading sentiment in
the south and elsewhere against the
draft law has not been announced.
Mr.. Fits, in lie absence of Attorney
General Gregory, issued the follow
ing statement:
Federal Law Be Invoked.
whether in Oklahoma or any
where else, if persons who are regu-
larly selected for military service un-
der selective soldiers act, fail to
obey when properly notified and
called, they will be reached and over
taken by the strong arm of the, fed
eral law and brought before the
proper registration boards"
Should the situation in Oklahoma
get beyond the control of the sher-
ifs posses or other civilian forces,
the only recourse of the governor
would be to ask General Parker, COM
manding the Southern department, to
send troops % do the work. There
will be no Oklahoma National Guard
under the governors jurisdiction
after today, as the Oklahoma Ma
tional Guard passes under complete
control of the federal military au-
thorities.
Oklahoma City, Okl,, Aug. 4.-In-
dulging in dream of revolution and
defying the draft law, half dozen
armed bands of tenant farmers, half
breed Indians and negroes are run
ming rampant throughout five coun-
ties in east central Oklahoma today.
AS the disturbed territory is about
100 miles long by ninety miles wide,
the topography of which is rugged
and full of thickets, only an estimate
can be made of the total number of
rioters, this being placed variously
at 500 to 1,500.
One thousand armed possemen,
with orders to shoot to kill, began a
drive at dawn upon 400 of the draft
resisters, who were said to be en-
camped near Sasakwa, in Seminole
county, where the anarchistic cam
paign was reported to have had its
birth. Determined resistance is ex-
pected.
Last night rioters burned railway
bridge in Hughes county, another
near Tyrola, and a third near Maud.
Telephone and telegraph wires were
cut at many points. The districts af-
fected include Pontotoc, Seminole,
Okmulgee, Pittsburg and. Hughes
counties.
More or less friction between the
landlords and tenants has occurred
for years, owing to differences of
opinion respecting the crops to be
raised, evictions and alleged efforts
to control elections, according to the
testimony befor- the industrial rela-
tions committee in 1915.