Evening journal., 1917-07-23

Criticism OF the draft law Appor-
tionment is thoroughly justified in two
particulars. In the FIRST place, the ap-
portionment Is based on incorrect es-
timstes OF population. In the second
place. the population dealt with is not
the true military population. These
two errors have led to wide disparlties
in the burdens placed on the different
states.
The Census Bureaus pre-rogistra-
tion estimates of population were
fHulty. They were made according 10 a
3 rule which Is bound 10 produce mis-
! leading results. The Tribune has often
demonstrated how worthless the Cen
sus Bureaus annual estimates OF popu-
lation are. The growth OF State for
each year since the preceding Federal
census Is assumed 10 be at the aver
age rate shown in the decade between
that census and the census taken ten
years earlier. This eliminates all
checks TO increase OF population like
declines In immigration OF depressions
in industry. II ignores shifts IN popu-
lation from one section OF the country
to another
The pre-registratiOn estimates OF
State populations I'm 1917 we're neces-
sarily inaccurate. They inflated the
totals for Eastern states like New
York. into which alien population or.
dinarily flows in large numbers, and
also the totals for the Far Western
states. which gained abnormelly be-
tween 1900 and 1910. After the regis
trauon returns came in the crude cen
sus estimates were discarded. 10 was
then decided TO ascertain the popula-
tion OF each State by a still simpler
larithmetical calculation-merely mul.
tiplying the number OF registrants TO
ported by 90.
This method has shown results more
unequal and more tinged with favorit
ism than the original calculations did
Take the case of New York City III
population, according to the State cen
sus Of 1915. was 5,066 222. II can hard
ly be more today than 100000 Bu
the Census Bureaus figure Is in rount
numbers $500, 900. This Is an absurt
exaggeration. But, at ttat. Il Is not Al
absurd as the bureaus estimate OF {
population OF 1921 ,942 for Deti oft, o
36S9,975 for Chicago. OF Of 33s,34s To-
! Akron. Ohio.
Under the apportionment plan &C
cfpted b. the War Department tn
cities ana states In which there was
thorough registration, or in which in
dustrial conditions have created
lSrge floating population OF men be
tween twenty-one and thirty-one year
old, are being enormously penalize
and the states and cities in which r.
gfstration was light have escaped tn
duty OF furnishing their proper mill
tary quotas. Mississippi Is credite
with losing 2s7 900 inhabitants sine
1910. Kentucky with losing 260 900 an
} Alabama with losing 10000. Thes
= figures are incredible. The Who'll
& scheme OF apportionment is askev
After the first drawing has been mad
it will be the duty OF the War Depari
= ment to secure new and reasonabl
4 estimates of population and use thel
! to amend the state quotas.
Legislation will be required 20 ren
edy the second serious inequality. Cor
e gress directed that the draft shoul
q be made on the basis of population
II would seem as IL discretion ha
y been left 70 the War apartment [
II construe population as meaning mil
T. tary population. But the departmeI
l. has read the text OF the conscriptlo