New-York tribune., 1917-07-27
Names on Exemption Lists
Will Dwindle, Declares
Draft Director
Slackers Will Find
Military Law Swift
First Registrants To Be
Examined Here Next
Thursday

There was much concern yesterday
among men subject to the draft over q
more or less problematical danger that
certain of New York City's 1S9 exemp-
ton districts will not be able to fill
.beir quotas for the National Army.
What with alien registration and ex-
smptions and disqualification for ply
,ieal reasons, guessed the alarmists,
some districts might examine every man
on their available lists and yet not
fnd the number called for.
Deputy Attorney General Roscoe s.
Conkling, the minute man from AL
bsny, whose job ii has been to straight
en- snarls in which affairs of the metro
poltan local boards were involved until
the very eve of the Federal lottery,
guesses differently. More than any
other person or agency he has been in
touch with individual boards and in
diyidual exemptors, and he says he has
heard nothing Of local conditions any
where which justifies the scare.
Besides which, Washington is already
considering a revision of the draft
regulations TO the end that aliens not
enemies may be permitted 10 fight
under the Stars and Stripes. Indeed,
the situation may be cleared beyond
the point OF mere alien eligibility to
service: for il is understood that an
agreement exists, or is being nego-
,iated. with the Entente governments
which would make citizens of the Allied
nations resident here liable to draft.
Net Stretched for Slackers
Mr.. Conkling has plenty of other rea-
sons for his confidence that no New
York City exemption district will fail
Of meeting the quota. One Of them is
the fact that the boards are on the job
in earnest now; realize how grave is
the responsibility thrust upon them
and are determined, as their questions
show, 10 trap the skulkers and slackers
who will seek to slip through the draft
net with the legitimately exempt. Eff
siency and impartiality on the boards,
Nr. Conkling is certain, will work to
shittle down the exemption lists far
below their present apparent proper
tons.
There was another reason-the hu-
man equation itself-to which the Dep
uty Attorney General was able to point
with a jerk Of his thumb. A young
man. who carried a we'll defined air OF
being nobody in particular, had passed
out OF Mr. Conkling's new Office in the
state arsenal at Thirty-fifth Street and
Seventh Avenue, as a group OF report
ers entered.
"Notice that chap" asked Mr.. Conk-
ling. well, there's the man We aren't
thinking enough about, the man who is
going TO upset all our calculations.
There are lot like him. Dozens have
come here TO get my advice and in my
talks with eXemptors I've heard OF hun
dreds more.
For the most part we have been
wondering what the conscientious OBJ
iectors are going 10 do, and how the
slaekers are going 10 try 10 evade
service. Here's the other side. The
man you just saw go out-pH cite
hin because his case is fresh IN my
mind-has a dependent mother and
brother who shares with him the eX-
penses Of her home.
Brothers Toss TO See Who Goes
Both brothers are anxious to go to
var as soldiers in the National Army,
bat there is the mother 10 consider.
They have decided between themselves
nat one shall 20 TO the front and the
other shall undertake TO shoulder the
whole domestic burden.
The brother who stays home will
oe hero in his way, too, for neither
-akes much Of a salary. They want
ny advice as the propriety Of the
theme before drawing lots TO see
mos who. / referred the committee
o. one % his local board and told him
. tell the exemptors the same story.
This is just one instance Of feel
ihg ! know 70 be city-wide. There
are slackers and schemers with US of
so1rse, but in pursuit Of them don't
iSget the true patriots who are try
M 20 adjust their affairs so they can
saiye the exemption which is properly
heirs. These are the men who, IL they
are able 20 20, will be the backbone
q the army"
Mr. Conkling told of another man
those period of enlistment in the
ifeneh army has just expired. The
s'other-in-.aw of this Yankee poilu
Brought this message 20 Mr.. Conkling
ys1terday:
Bill wants 20 know ~ he can get
hn the new American army. II he