The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-11-19
The Draft Age

EDITOR THE TIMES:
There has been some talk thru
the daily papers that the govern
ment intended to lower the draft
age to 10 SO as to raise a large
army.
This is against all humanity, to
touch the youth of this country.
say let the youth go untouched SO
that they may blossom forth into
manhood first, in all its beauty,
the same as the rose in the
springtime.
To increase the army there are
two other ways, and know that 1t
would meet with loyal support of
all true Americans.
First of all increase the age
limit to As years. 1t is true that
there are more married men from
81 to As, but where is the Ameri-
can father who would not sooner
60 to fight than have his son to
60? For what reason then does
the father prefer to go? So that
youth may flourish.
The second way to add to the
army, is to mobilize all aliens
from 81 to 40. married and single
(aliens of those countries that we
are now allied with In this great
war;, and give them the chance
of fighting for Uncle Sam, fighting
for the land where they are maxi
ing living in, where their wives
and families are living in security.
This is very little indeed to ask
and except of them, seeing that
this country has done so much for
them and theirs, and not allow
them to stand by and be merely
lockers on while the American
youth is being welded into shape.
This country Is now at war and
the government has asked us to
make sacrifices in all things. We
are obeying as loyal citizens, and
why not have a law passed to
make these aliens in this country
come under the same standing?
And II they decline to join the
army, well allow the allied gov
ernments to secure tn I'm for army
service, and so help to add to the
allied army, that would be other
wise lost, as 1t is right now thru
these self-same aliens claiming ex-
emption on the grounds of being
an alien and married, while our
own is willingly accepting serv-
ice. These self-same aliens are
neither doing justice to this Amer
lean nation, nor are they helping
the land of their birth, and Il
think the same as many others
that 1t is a rank shame to keep
on sheltering these aliens any
longer. In short, they are simply
hiding behind the American youth
who has gone and still going.
Sir, what has bee me of the
French and British officers who
arrived In this country for to re-
cruit their men folk? Have they
gone away disguised because they
cannot get these people to join up,
or has the government of this
country got those recruiting Off
GERS hands tied?
IL SO, IL Is Jlule OuT CUuSTeSS-
men and representatives of this
state realized what this country
is up against and cut those ties
that binds the hands of these re-
cruiting officers, II there are any,
and SO We will be able to leave
the youth of this country alone.
Sir, I would like you to give
us your opinion on this letter and
the new draft law about to come
into force, and throw your col
umns open for free discussion on
1t, as your paper is so widely read
In this state 1t may go a long way
to having our representatives in
congress walked up to this alien
question and SO have them to do
their duty.
Wishing your paper success, /
remain, yours,
J. BAWDEN.
337A Tacoma Ave.