The sun., 1918-09-03
HUNDREDS TO HUNT
FOR DRAFT DODGERS


the station house and thence to an ar
morr and the time taken by the investi-
CATION of the examining board. In most
cases this pecfpd will be relatively brief,
hut there will be cases in which the in
vestigation will take longer. and provi-
sion has been made for sleeping quarters
for men held over night
Several hundred automobiles have been
engaged to transport men under deten-
ton from the police station houses to
the armories.
The men under Chief De Woody, in
and out Of uniform. who have been
charged with the duty of stopping and
questioning persons have been instructed
courtesy must go with efficiency in this
canvass and that the least possible an
noyance and embarrassment should be
accorded to every person of whom in
quiry is made.
Operatives have been told that they
shall regard 1t as immaterial where. a
registrant lives or claims residence. II
he is apparently of military age and Is
unable to present satisfactory proof OF
exemption he Is to be arrested.
The men liable to military service are
those who had not reached their thirty
first birthday on June 3, 1917. the first
registration day for those between 81
and 81 years old, or those who passed
their twenty-first birthday prior to AL
gust "a, 1918.
The blue registration cards issued by
the local draft boards at the time Of
registration are without value as pro-
lection against arrest unless they were
issued subsequent to June last. Re-
cent registrants have not been classified
by the local boards.
Many men have been carrying the blue
t-Ns Nt@,. -
the important evidence OF their compli-
ance with the selective service law and
have lost the small white card sent by
the local draft boards after passing upon
the answers in the QUESTIONABLE and de-
Gliding the classification Of the regis
trant Chief De Woody pointed out yes
terday that some men registered but be-
came slackers by failing to answer the
remainder Of the laws requirements.
Men who are arrested and are proved
never to have registered will be turned
over to the United States Attorney for
prosecution in the Federal Court. Men
who registered but failed to file their
QUESTIONABLE or to complete the process
in other ways will be sent to their local
draft boards fot decision as to whether
they will be permitted to make up for
their delinquency or be prosecuted.
Chief De Woody said yesterday that
while the principal points at which his
operatives will be on duty constantly will
be the places where traffic is great, such
as railroad and ferry terminals. the prin-
cipal avenues and streets and subway
and IL" entrances and exits, they will
also cover hotel Hobbies. saloons, theatres
and motion picture houses. parks and
bathing beaches.
The American Protective League is an
organization composed OF voluntary as
sistants of the Department of Justice
which has been growing to large menu
bership since the United States entered
the war Its officers have discourag ed
publicity in relation to its activities The
members carry a badge which is recog-
nized by the Government.
In the New Jersey and Westminster
cities the canvass for slackers will be
made largely by mem rs of the league
In Westminster the New York State Con-
stabulary will cooperate.