Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-14
RTLL TO EVEN UP
DRAFT INJUSTICE
States With Alien Population
Have Hitherto Borne
Strain
SECOND DRAFT DELAYED
will Not Be Ordered by Provost
Marshal General Crowder Until
Question Is Settled

Washington, March Il.
Unless Congress cnacts law chang
,ce the basis of computation the next
Elective draft for the National Army
iii, be as unjust in Pennsylvania, New
ysrsey and Delaware as was the first
one. made last July.
Under the present law the War De-
osrtment is compelled to draft eligible
men from Pennsylvania upon the basis
Al the total estimated population OF
the State and not upon the basis of
tbe percentage of eligible men.
= The proposed new law to govern COM
putation of the quotas to be supplied
bv each state provides the number OF
men shall be based upon the number
actually liable to military service under
the law, and not upon the total popu-
istion, American and alien.
" Report Delays Draft
& The resolution now before Congress
has the hearty Endorsement of the War
Department II has passed the Senate
and has been reported to the House
Z from the military committee. There
was strong minority report, signed by
six members, filed against 1t ycster-
day. Chairman Dent. of the committee.
Announced the measure would not ba
called up until after Secretary Bakers
return from France.
y This will delay the second draft, as
Provist Marshal General Crowder has
& announced he will not proceed with it
until the question Is settled.
General Crowder appeared greatly
concerned when he learned the legisla-
ton was checked in the House.
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Della
ware were treated unjustly in the last
draft, the War Department has admit
ted, because of their large alien popula-
Z ton.
In deciding the number of men Penn.
( sylvania should give in the first draft.
& the War Department took the census
bureaus estimate of the total popula-
( ton Of the State. based on the 1910
hgures, at S.660,0i2, and fixed the States
/ quota at 94,95G.
These 1896 were drafted from the
eligible men in Pennsylvania without
taking into account % per cent of Penn
ylvania's population was alien in 1910.
and still probably a larger percentage
in 1917. Thus Pennsylvania was re-
qulred to supply. through the July
I draft. about one-thrd more, than her
proper quota.
Allen Proportion Unequal
The proposed new law is intended to
correct the injustice done under the
old law In the first draft. If the propor-
ton OF aliens was equal in all the
states there would be no injustice un-
4 der the old law. but as some of the
States. notably Pennsylvania. Conucc-
Z tlcut California, Massac chusetts, Chode
island, New Jersey and New York. have
alien population running as high as
~ per cent and other States. chiefly
, IN the South. such as Alabama, Georgia,
riorida' mississippi, South Carolina,
Z North Carolina and Tennessee. have
allen population of less than per
! cent the old draft law is unjust to
states having many aliens
An individual in n State having a
large alien population is vastly more
napie 10 draft than one living where
there are few aliens. A man living in
4 Pennsylvania is 40 per cent more liable
De drafted than a man living In
Alabama or Florida.
General Crowder recognized early in
the last draft that Pennsylvania was to
De drawn upon in measure beyond its
due and he and Secretary Baker ad-
mitted 1t, but said they were powerless
under the law
Inc enort to pass it will bring about
one OF the bitterest fights in which Con
Hess mas engaged at this session II
VIII be fight between the States which
were disseminated against last wear
ana those who obtained the benefit of its
Inequalities
Wilson Endorses Bill
AS the representatives of the States
WIN the large alien population are i'm
me minority. there Is a reasonable doubt
Of the passage of the new bill. although
PRESIDENT Wilson and the War Depart
ment are in favor of It.
"a Under the bill all the men in class T.
tnat Is unmarried men and married men
wtnout dependents-must be drawn
nom all the States to make up the mum.
per needed by the War Department
before the men in class 2-married mer
with dependents-can be drawn upor
from any State.
such a large proportion of the mer
N class i In Pennsylvania were drafted
nN July because of the inequalities o.
the oio law, that II the next draft |.
msae up on the same basis 1t is doubtful
the States quota can be obtained
wNnout taking men in class 2. married
men with dependents.