Evening journal., 1917-07-23
Draft Law Inequalities
tTrom the New York TrIbuneJ.

act with exact literalness and hes
included In the population 10 be taken
into account IN making the draft ele-
ments which ought to have been e1-
cluded from consideration. Enemy
aliens are certainly not population for
military purposes. They cannot be
drafted under the rules of war. Neither
can neutral aliens be drafted into the
military service OF the United States
II might be practicable to make mill
tary use Of the citizens and subjects
OF the Allied nations who are living
here, But such use could not be made
without the consent OF the govern
ments concerned. Italy has Just de-
clined 10 give us the right to impress
her subjects now IN this country.
Pending a complete agreement with
the Entente Powers. all alien nation
ais ought TO be excluded from the cal
culations on which state levies are ap-
portioned-
Legislation has been introduced in
Congress providing for the drafting OF
aliens. But the passage OF such legis-
lation would be IN contravention OF all
our theories and declarations IN the
past. Tho President now has tbs right
70 intern German subjects and to make
them do nonmilitary labor. Congress
can also pass a law for the deporta--
tion OF neutral aliens. But that would
/ be a serious economic blunder. We
need all the labor we can get hold OF
to do tho work necessary to win the
war Tho Allied countries IN Europe
have been importing neutrnl 1aborers
and have been glad OF the opportunity
] go -
aliens, suggested by certain pembers
OF the House OF Representatives would
simply decrease our Industrial effici-
encv
Counting into our military populs-
ton enemy aliens. neutral aliens and
the nationals OF our allies puts an un-
fair burden on communities IN which
these elements are strongest. These
communities have TO furnish a much
larEer proportion OF citizen conBcripts.
In a city like New York, where the
lpopulation has been ovar-estimated by
1 10000 Rd where the ratio Of aliens
to genuine military population ~ high.
the discrimination is so excessive as
to Justify violent complaint Every
Southern State but Florida mas had
Tits quota lowered by the War Depart
nois. Connecticut, New York, Pennsyl-
yania. Massachusetts, and New Jersey
have had theirs raised. And, IN Addi-
. ton, these latter states have to carry.
charged against them. the dead weight
! OF their large non military alien pOpu.
lotion.
Congress should pass a resolution
; defining population as military pgpula-
p ton, SO that in he next drawing the
State quotas may be equitably read
? justed. The greetest possible care
! should be taken to make the draft alb
2 solu.ely fair. The malign influence OF
2 fsvoritism should be banished And
2. while Congress is about it IL might as
e well eliminate the possibility Of one
p very dangerous exercise of faYoritism
0 by repeating the clause OF the con
4 scription law exempting Federal EN-
ployes Under existing circumstances
+ it would be indecent TO appoint tc
- Federal once any man between TWEEN
i ty-one and thiFty-one yenrs OF age who
. mas not been disqualified for militsry
4 service by an exemption board. As FOL
o those OF draft age now in the Federa
! service, Il would also certainly b'
t sound policy to displaoe them and tak'
n on older men.