Arizona republican., 1917-08-05
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CRepubIican A. p. Leased Wirel

Republican A. p. Leased Wire1
 WASHINGTON, Aug. 4.-Registered men who resist the selective draft law face trial by court martial for desertion and the possibility of execution for de- sertion in time of war. The whole mil itary and civil powers of the federal government, states, cities or counties. will be employed to bring them to book.
 This was announced in a formal statement tonight by sBrigadier General Enoch H. Crowder, provost marshal general. in response to reports from North Carolina, Georgia and Okla homa of anti-draft disturbances.
 As yet the power of the federal government has not been invoked by the governors of the three states nor by the agents of the department of justice.
 The only official notice received in Washington of the disturbance was a telegram from the governor of North Carolina saying the registered men of two townships in that state might re- fuse in body to comply with the summons for examination.
 No official word came from Okla homa, where the most serious situa- ton prevails. It was believed the gov ernor, both in his official state capacity and as the direct agent of the president in the execution of the draft law, is confident that order can be restored without military aid. There will be no hesitation, however, in employing fed eral troops if they are needed.
 General CroWder's statement, fOrmu lated after conference with officials of the department of justice, follows:
 Press reports and other advices re- ceived indicate that in one or two widely scattered districts, individuals, misinformed as to the purposes of the law and misguided as to it's result. are threatening forcible resistance to the draft.
 There is nothing to resist at this stage in the execution of the law All male persons between the ages of 21 and 30, inclusive, have been enrolled for military service. A preliminary call has gone forth to some such per sons, but the immediate and actual ob ject of this call is merely to provide an opportunity for such persons, or for some one else in respect to them, to present to the government reasons why they should not be finally ordered to report for military duty. If such per sons do not appear and present the reasons they have simply neglected to take advantage of an opportunity that
  The failure of persons to take advant- age of this opportunity does not in terfere with the raising of the army and interests the government only as a punishable crime of omission. If they do not desire to make any such claims or if for any other reason they fail to appear, their names are auto maticaly posted as having been called and not exempted or discharged. Auto matically also they are inducted into the military service and made subject to military law. Failure to appear merely hastens the automatic process. When the time allowed for making these claims has elapsed, these persons will be enrolled as in the military ser vice. They then will be ordered to appear as soldiers. From this point on they will be under the swift and summary procedure of court martial. Failure to report for military duty when ordered to do so constitutes de- sertion. Desertion in time of war is a capital offenSe. Deserters may be ap- prehended by either civil or military authority, and after the mandate of the federal government has gone forth, the whole strength of the military arm of the government is available to ap- prehend deserters, if it is necessary to use such force.
 Demonstrations against local bords are simply futile strokes in the air All records necessary to hold such per sons are already on file at state head quarters and at the national capital and since local boards have no occasion to use any force in simply offering a beneficial opportunity to registered persons, there is no field for resistance l If resistance is attempted later when ] the army seeks to apprehend deserters | it will instantly encounter troops of the I federal government"
 l In practice under General CroWder's 1 construction of the law registered mer | who do not appear for examination will be posted to the district boards as
 selected for military service as soon as
 the five-day period allowed them tt | put in an appearance after they hay, been summoned has elapsed. Two days l more will elapse after their name. reach the district board to await ap- 1 (Continued on Page Two)