Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-06-14
DRAFT BOARDS TO
BE TURNED OVER
Governor Orders Adjutant
General to Inquire; Muir
dock Returns to City

Governor Brumbaugh last nigh
followed up his statement of yester
day morning regarding draft boar
criticisms in Pennsylvania by send
ing letters to Adjutant General Bear
ordering dismissal of men who hav
acted improperly and Mayor Thoma
B. Smith, of Philadelphia, askin
him what he knows about some allie
cations which have been made.
In his letters the Governor wrote
June 13, 1918.
Hon. Frank d. Beary, Adjutant
General. Harrisburg, Pa.
Dear General Beary:
l assume that you are in touch
with conditions in Philadelphia
and that Major Murdock will re-
port to you at once. He should.
The story in the North Amer
lean this morning is false. If.
perchance, any board or men,
ber thereof is found to have de-
parted knowingly from his duties
as defined by General Crowder
I want that board or member
dismissed at once-summarily,
and men put in their places who
will. act honestly, impartially
and promptly. There can be no
variation from this in Philadel-
phia or in any place in Penn
sylvania, as you know.
We have had but one mind in
all this-to do exactly what the
national government wishes and
anyone who fails the state in
this respect must get out at
once. Sincerely,
(Signed) M. G. BRUMBAUGH.
June IS. 1918.
Hon. Thomas B. Smith, Mayor
of Philadelphia, Philadelphia,
Pa.
Dear Sir;
The newspapers to-day carry
the story that District Board
No. . and some local boards in
Philadelphia have not carried
,out fully, fairly and impartially
the directions of General Crowd
er in the matter of classifica-
tion of, draftees. I have no
knowledge of the truth or falsity
of these statements, but since
YOU nominated these men for
the respective places they hold
/ deem it my duty to ask you to
advise me at the first moment
whether or not any of these Of
ficers have in any way been
influenced by any political or
other purpose to defeat directly
or indirectly the purposes for
which they were designated. If
1t appear that the charges have
the slightest foundation in fact,
upon statement to this effect
from you these men will be dis
missed. | have not at any time
nor in any place sought in any
way to interfere with the ma
tional will nor will I allow it
to be done by any one in this
Commonwealth.
You will please give this mat
ter the careful attention its grav-
ity warrants and hasten to me
your conclusions. Yours very
respectfully,
(Signed) NJ. G. BRUMBAUGH.
Major w. C. Murdock. the state
chief draft officer, declared thi
morning that his visit of two davs t
was not made for tn
purpose of conducting an exhaustiy
investigation into the affairs of tn
DCeAi uo III that city, out SOlel
TO ascertain reasons for the low reg
istration of aliens and to straighte
out few questions which had arise
relative to classification of marie
men.
Il have spent some time workin
on the alien registration matter an
VIII make report to Adjutant Gen
eral Beary, whom 1 understand wi
be here Monday" said he. There ar
some other matters which will be re
ported on in connection with drat
operations and conduct of board.
That is all there is to say at thi
time"
Major Murdock said that he di
not expect to make any report to tn
Governor and did not have an
knowledge of the letters issued las
night by Governor Brumbaugl
They are matters about which
was not consulted" said he.
The major was immersed til
greater part of the day with routin
matters which had accumulated i
ms absence and in preparation c
his report on low registration G
aliens. He declined to discuss tn
letters of the Governor or the repol
that additional inspectors would b
nut to work in some districts /
where many deferre
have ben granted.