The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-06-15
EXEMPT IRISH
FROM THE DRAFT
Ameriean-Britain Treaty Regarding
Citizens in Foreign Lands
During Days Of
War.

United Press Leased Wire Service.J
WASHINGTON. June 15.-Irish
and Australians in this country are
exempted and only Americans be
tween the ages Of 81 and 81 are sub
hcted to draft in Great Britain and
Canada under the British-American
military convention now awaiting
ratification by the United States.
Details of the treaty which became
quired a formal exchange Of notes
between the United States and Great
Britain to settle questions relating
| to application of American draft age
| limits to Americans in Great Britain
and Canada
The British military service acts,
(which govern the operation of the
treaty, would make all Americans IN
Great Britain or Canada between
1S and 49 liable to draft into the
British army But in the notes ex-
changed by Lord Reading and Sec
retary Lansing, it is agreed that the
United States, may claim exemption
for it's citizens under p and over 81.
The text Of article one, the principal
article in the treaty, reads:
"All male citizens of the United
States in Great Britain and all male
British subjects in the United States,
shall unless before the time limited
by this convention, they enlist or
enroll in the forces of their own
country or return to the United
States or Great Britain respectively
be subject to military service and
entitled to exemption or discharge
therefrom under the laws and regu-
lations from time to time in force OF
the country in which they are: Pro
vided that in respect to British SUD-
jects in the United States the ages
for military service shall be for the
time being Il to A, both inclusive,
provided howtver, that no citizen in
Great Britain and British subject in
the United States respectively who
was ordinarily resident in the United
States or his majesty's dominions,
respectively; provided further that
not impose compulsory military serv-
ice, shall by virtue of this conven-
ton, be liable to military service un-
der the laws and regulations of
Great Britain or the United States
respectively; provided further that
in the event of compulsory military
service being applied to any part of
his majesty's dominions in which
military service at present is not COM
pulsory, British subjects, who before
proceeding to the United States were
ordinarily resident in such part OF
his majesty's dominions, shall, there
upon be included within the terms of
this convention"
Following are the notes exchanged
between Secretary Lansing and AM
bassador Reading, which determined
the application of the American age
limits to American citizens subject
to draft in Great Britain and Can
ada:
Readings note: with reference
to the military convention between
the United States and Great Britain
signed today, / am instructed by his
majesty's government to explain why
the proviso to article one does not
limit the military service of citizens
of the United States in Great Britain
to those of ages specified in the laws
of the United States. The reason
for the omission of this clause in
the proviso is desire to avoid the
delay that would be involved in mod
flying the military service acts of
1916 to 1918 which control the opera
ton of any convention of this charac-
ter. I trust, therefore, you will be
good enough not to press this pro-
posal. The effect of these acts is to
make United States citizens in Great
Britain under this convention liable
to military service between the ages
of IS and 40. inclusive. The limita-
ton of the ages of United States
citizens in Great Britain for the
purpose of military service to those
prescribed in the laws of the United
States may, however, be attained
without amendment of these acts by
exercise by the United States of its
rights OF exemption under article
three. His maiesty's government un-