The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-06
STAMP OUT TREASON.
GOVERNMENTS LEGAL MACHlN.
ERY INVOKED AGAINST ANTI.
DRAFT AGITATORS.
No Necessity for Answering Question
on Card, Matter Being Taken up
After Actual Drafting Has Been
Done-No Evasion by Flight.

OOu0-NO Gs0oiOn Oy rn&nt.
Washington, May 31.-While the
legal machinery Of the government
wis operating today to stamp out
agitation against the army draft. the
war department took up another
phase Of the matter. dealing with
the status of Americans now In for
eign countries.
Secretary Baker called on Brig.
Gen. Crowder. Judge advocate gem
eral and provost marshal general vf
the army, for an opinion as to the
effect Of the new law upon Ameri-
cans Of military age residing abroad.
Department officials generally have
presumed that the privileges Of citi-
senship would carry with them a
duty for military service not affect
ed by foreign residence. but no for
NAL ruling will be made until the
opinion Of Gen. Crowder has been re-
csived. The ., question involves to
some degree the specific terms of the
extradition treaties between the Unit
ed states and other countries. Many
Americans Of military age now
abroad have been eager to enroll.
Resistration cards have been fur
nished to every American embassy.
legntion or consulate and diplomatic
and consular oficials have been au-
|thorised to act a regulation agents.
Meantime the department OF JUS
tice u proceeding on the theory that
the departure from American soil. of
any citizen subject to the draft II an
svasion Of the law. It was revealed
today that steps already had been
taken to prevent such departures
and that attempts at this form of
evasion would be met by vigorous
measures.
Department ofiicials also made II
clear that they would back up to
the full extent of their authority the
efforts Of local officials in the various
communities to put quick end to
agitation against the draft. The ar
rests made during the day through.
out the country were in accordance
with instructions sent from Wash
irgton directing federal agents every
where to take prompt legal steps
against any one seeking to influence
clisibles to refuse to register.
Discussing reports that many
young men were leaving the country
tn avoid military service. Secretary
Baker said today he did not believe
ANY substantial number of Ameri-
cans would take that course. He
added that the law was of such vigor
that II would te found that any
evasion gained In this way was only
temporary.
Another aspect of military regula-
tion came up during the day when
registration officials throughout the
country were Informed that answers
would not be required to the ques-
tions on the registration card as to
whether the individual claims ex-
emption and on what grounds. The
department has reached the conclu-
sion that no man should be required
to claim exemption. There are many
who do not care to do so and under
the new ruling none will be required
to state his position until he is
summoned for actual service and
comes up before an exemption board.
Through the committee on public
Information Gen. Crowder appealed
to the press of the country today to
give prominent place daily to an
outline OF the essential facts in re-
gard to the regulation Drocass