Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-07-31
Tue DRAFT LAW.
Adj. Gen. presson Explains States
Attitude on Reconsideration.

1 INV ~ - EfWtAAHs VI e@"s"@s
sent letter 10 Adiutsnt General Presson
ssking cer.ian pointed questions relative
to the attitude Of the State administration
TO the selective draft law. General
Presson Friday sent the following reply
to Mr.. Morris:
July Is, 1918.
Rer. A. E. Morris, 100 Esser Street,
Bangor. Maiss.
DEAR SIR;-In reply to your communi-
cation OF July IS, referring to the
Minister'S Conference at Bangor to act
as committee seeking certain iniorms-
ton which you feel sure can supply,
beg to state in answer to your questions
as follows:
/. Has Governor Miluken issued ,....or
caused TO be Issued. any rule or rules,
contary TO orders OF General Crowder.
| in relation to the seleCtive drsftf
Most emphatleslly no.
2. Who was responsible for the ordeI
to refer men in Class -Four to the distinct
board, with the intention OF reclsssifica-
ton?
/ Verbal orders by Major Kramer, execu-
! tive officer OF the provost marshal gen
erals office. subsequently confirmed In
writing by the provost marshal general,
| K. II. Crowder.
| 3, Has General Crowder ever written
anything to remove blame OF responsible
| ity from Governor Milliken, after more or
less public condemnation was put upon
| the governor because Of the sbove-men-
| toned order! II so, may | know what be
| wrote.
Yes. Copy OF letter and telegram in
closed.
Tbs telegram ssd letter, the copies of
which we're enclosed in Mr.. Morris letter,
are So follows:
Ia Accord with Instructions.
| William b. Higgins, Bangor, Maine:
| Replying your telegram June 2nd to
| secretary Of treasury you are advised that
action of governor and sdjutant general
Of Maine in ordering appeal 10 district
board frsm classification by local boards
was in accordance With explicit instruc-
tions OF this office. CRowpER.
War Department.
Oftire of the Provost Marshal General.
Washington June /, 1918.
From Once OF the Provost Marshal
General
To Adiutsnt General of Maine, Au-
gusts, Maine.
Subject: Appeal OF Class Iv-Dependency
cases.
!. This or1ce 10 In receipt OF tho en-
closed telegram addressed to Secretary
Lane from Mr.. J. P. BASE OF Bangor,
Maine. Please inform Mr.. Bass that the
action OF Governor Miilissn in ordering
Class ~ dependency cases sppesled to
the district boards IL in accord with an
order Issued by this ofsace TO the sdiutant
general OF your state, and In accordance
with the third paragraph Of section ioi,
Selective Service Regulations.
.. Military necessity, ~ evidence by
the large calls which are nov being made
upon the country for men ssoald indicate
to all who have joined In this protest that
Class should he recruited M strength In
every legitimate way. Orders similar to
that issued through the adiutant general
TO you are going forth to every state in
the Union. We are proposing no new
rules OF classification, but are searching
out errors in the appiieattea Of the exist
ing rules. To this end we have directed
certain classes OF cases to be re-exAmined
and appealed.
g. do not doubt that the action Of the
district board on appeal will be a W iss one
and corrective Of irreRularity and IN
uniformity aud that the reGisirshss will
have the tulIes, measure of protection tx
tended to them.
Very truly yours,
Z. n. CRowDER,
Provost Marshal General.
4. What are the facts regarding this
failure TO provide an srmcry at the Uni
| yerslty OF Maines
| The attorney general rules that money
| from the war tunds could only be used for
war purposes and that the University OF
/ Maine armory coaId not come within the
! meaning OF the phrase war purposes
/ Governor MilItken Was bound By the and
| ings OF bis legal adviser that ne had no
right to Use money except for purposes
| specified.
| Regarding State Aid.
| 5. Can you tell me what relation
| Governor Miiliken and the Iepresen-
tatives from Maine at Washington (Senate
and House, have had with the rule re-
| garding Stste-aid being included in the
| schedule Of income TO q wife whose
husband should be called in the draft.
Has the original rule ever been changed,
interpreted, or re-interpreted, by General
Crowder, because OF conditions in Maine?
Stste-sid question was TO urge the
Maine delegation at Washington to
protest to General Crowder against the
order to Maine district and local boards
that State aid should be considered. As
result of this protest, IN which all
members OF the Maine delegation Joined,
the following telegram was received;
| lima On 1918