Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-03
PLAN GENERAL ROUNDUP
OF UNREGISTERED MEN
Failed to Return Their
QucStionna:rcS.
SAID TO BE 1000 IN VIRGINIA
State Council of Defense Will Aid
Department of Justice and Will
Enlist Active Cooperation of All
Local Councils OF Defense.

The State Councils OF Defense nave
been requested by the Adjutant-Gen-
cral OF the WAr Department. 20 assist
III the detection OF dcScrters and de-
linouen;S. Including technical draft de-
ScrterS. thS, IS. r"s!StrantS who have
tailed 10 aic QQcStion1sircS. appear Tor
physical eNAnlinAurn or otherwis. To
comply with the >clective service law.
The excellent work OF the Depart
rfcni OF Justice III this field says The
request. - =. X. Kelley. secretary OF
the Virginia Council. can we'll he
auNiined by the state Councils OF De-
Tense with their extensive local orsani.
cation. especially IN the rural areas OF
the country which the agencies Of the
Department OF Justice cannot reach 50
efertivelE' Thr@ush their p"Hliei,y
and Community Councils OF Defense,
the state Councils touCn every section
OF their States.
Among the drastic rules tor detect
INF descrters and delinQucntS. who have
been estimated by the provost marshall
general 10 reach as high a S"v,0pa Tor
III" trst registration IN the United
states. is one placing personal re-
SponsioilitE on each council member
III ali communities. Ii is estimated
that the total nunoer OF men in Viz
>. 1917, reached 1,0co. This Is regard
cd an average number OF delin-
auents in state. There were. 1000
III Ala bama. Il State OF virtually the
greater number OF GcliuQurnt> III that
state is supposed TO have pcen duo 10
the greater negro population. There
were other States with large negro
population that had more than the
average number OF men 20 fail 10 regis
ter in The 1917 registration About
1000 of these dclinqucuts nave been
picked up in the Cnited states and
made 10 register.
OUTLINE OF SUGGESTIONS
TO DEFENSE. COUNCILS
The following. program Is suggested
for the state Councils OF Defense:
Give publicity TO the activity OF the
Department OF Justice. the state Coun-
Gil OF Defense. and other agencies. in
apprehending every dcs.rier within the
state boundaries. TINS wlll tend to
discourage dcscrtion.
instruct County and Community
Councils OF Defense to undertake their
work in such way tnat each member
of each council sinai! feel persona
responsibility in detecting the desert :
crs in every community. y list OF de :
ScrtcrS from any nciG nnoring army post
can generally be obtained from the post
cominRnder.
'Iniiuencc each community council to
investigate the case OF Any strange
man in uniform whose presence is not
legitimate crrand ne will have with
ANN evidence TO establish that fact.
\ dcSertcr usually seeks a neishbor-
hood where he Is unknown. and any
stranger in uniform whose business IS
kept secret should be regarded with
suspicion.
Influence community councils 10 in
VeSt!sate also the case OF any unknoW n
civilian OF from twcnty-onc to thirty
one years OF age. and cndcavor 20 mad
out whether he has his registration,
call or exemption card and whether he
is not deserving from the army. ~ ii
IS found he has failed TO register. the
neares; agent OF the Department of
Justice should be notifieu OF the facts.
I'm conjunction with the agents o {
the Federal Department of Justice and
state Secret Service. conduct surprise
roundups AT which men apparently of
tho draft age are ordered to displa y
their cards in order TO establish the
regularity OF their standing. II they
are unable 10 do so, they should be
Hkcn into custody pending proof Of
their innonccnce. Tine plans for the
conduct OF such raids should be made
only under the direction Of the Depart
ment Of Just!c. agents. on the night
~ roundup arrangements should be
made with the draft boards to have a
sufficient number OF clerks present at
the draft headquarters 10 answer as
10 Appreciated reg istrants.
Inform each community council that
an" deScrtcr from the army should he
delivered al once 10 a military pos,
FOR disposition. and that any draft de
sertcr should b. reported or delivered
TO the local agent Of the Dcpartincn :
Of Justice. EXPENSES may be recov-
cred from the War Depart nent or the
Department OF Justice. as the case
may be. and in N. case OF an army de-
scr,.r there il the alternative rewa I'd
OF SEQ