Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-08-05
Failure to Appear Before Ex-
emption Boards Is Merely
Refusal to Claim Privilege
Allowed Them.
FEDERAL POWER TO BE
USED IF NECESSARY
After Name Is Posted as Sc
lected, Failure to Report fol
Duty Makes Stacker Desert
er From Army.

fsr NO 's'se JovaS | sss=isl Leased w,Hs,
washington. Aug 4.--RegistereC
men who resist the selective draft law
face trial by court martial for deser.
ton and the possibility of execution
for desertion in time of war. The
whole military and civil powers of tn,
FEDERAL government states. cities OF
counties will be employed to bring
them to book.
This was announced in a formal
statement tonight by Brig Gen. Enoch
II. Crowder, provost marshal general
IN response to reports from North
Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma of
anti-draft disturbances AS vet 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.
Trouble in Two States.
The only official notice received in
Washington of the disturbances was
telegram from the governor OF
North Carolina, who says that regis
tered men of two townships in that
state might refuse in body to COM
ply with the summons for examina-
ton
No official word came from Okla
bona, where the most serious situa-
ton prevails. 1t was believed the
governor both In his official state ca .
pacity 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
VIII be no hesitation, however, in en-
ploying federal troops if they are
needed.
General Crowder's statement, form
ulated after conference with officials
of the department of justice, follows:
General CrOwdcr's Statement
Press reports and other advices
received indicate that in one or two
widely separated 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 80, inclusive, have been enrolled
for military service. A preliminary
call has gone forth to some such per-
sons, but the immediate and actual
object 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 order
nd tn fn mill itnr
persons do not appear and present
these reasons. they have simply neg
lected to take advantage of an op-
portunity that was offered solely for
their benefit.
The failure of persons to take ad-
vantage of this opportunity does not
interfere with the raising of the army
and this the government regards only
as punishable crime of omission. If
they do not desire to make any ex-
emption claims, or if for any other
reason they fail to appear, their
names are automatically posted as
having been called and not exempted |
or discharged. Automatically also t
they are inducted into the military |
service and made subject to military
law Failure to appear merely
hastens the automatic process.
VIII Become Deserters.
When the time allowed for making
these claims has elapsed these perl
sons will be enrolled as in the mill.
tary service. They thep will be order
ed to appear as soldiers. From this
point on they will be under the swift
and summary procedure of court mar
tial. Failure to report for military
duty when ordered to do so, consti-
tutes desertion. Desertion in time OF
war is capital offense Deserters