Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-06
Roundup Controversy Again
Under Way as Mr.. Smoot
Demands Inquiry.
CALLS UP RESOLUTION

to disclose by whose orders soldiers
and sailors participated
Senator Jones Protests.
Senator Jones of New Mexico. demo-
crat, vigorously protested against
adoption of the resolution. Propose
! ing it's reference to the judiciary COM
mittee for consideration. Senator
Jones declared no Investigation Is
necessary and commended the effort
| to catch draft sleckers.
| AS the Department of Justice Or
!dered the roundup, Senator Jones
said it would be improper for the
military committee to have charge OK
/ the resolution.
F.; The raids. Senator Jones stated. are
nothing new, and have accomplished
much in Identification of slackers.
Senator Calder of New York. re-
publican, interjected that thousands
of men over and under the draft ages
were arrested.
Admitting this to be true. Senator
Jones said ne believed the people OF
! New York approved the round-ups
and would not. indorse Senator
Calder's criticism.
Department Sends Agent.
John Lord o'Brien. special assist
ant to the Attorney General. has been
sent to New York to investigate re-
ported injustices to individuals In
connection with the Stacker round
up there. The Department of Justice
announced today that a report from
Mr.. O'Brien is expected by tomorrow.
| This action was taken on the In
| itiative of the department. 1t was
said, by G. Carol Todd, acting At
torney General, in the absence OF Mr..
Gregory, before President Wilson's
request for a report on the Stacker
| roundup had been received.
Preparing Complete Report.
The department, it was stated. is pre-
pairing for the President a complete re-
| port on all the conditions and circum-
| stances surrounding the roundup.
which is expected to be in the hands OF
| the President in short time.
| Preparatory to this report, Mr.. Todd
| plans to issue late today a statement
! which is expected to serve as an ex-
| PLANTATION of the activities of that de-
| partment.- This announcement will also
! contain a statement from Bruce Bic
| laski, chief of the bureau of inveStiga-
! ton of the department, who in a state
ment last night assumed responsibility
| for the roundup"
! The Presidents purpose in calling
for a report from the Attorney Gem
| eraI was not made knoW5. His request
was transmitted after the matter had
been vigorously debated in the Senate
and Senator Smoot of Utah, republic
can, had offered a resolution propos-
4 S,,fr ipyy oct 100 inr he a
military committee to establish who
| issued orders for the use of soldiers
and sailors in the round-ups. Objec-
| ton by Senator Kirby of Arkansas.
democrat, caused the resolution to go
! over, but Senator Smoot plans to call
| it up again Monday.
Departments Statement.
| In a statement last night the De-
| partment of Justice said:
| Since the enactment of the Sc
| lective service act agents of the De-
| partmept of Justice have co-operated
| with the military authorities in the
| apprehension of slackers. 1t is re-
{; ported to the department that
| result of the. recent efforts along this
! line in and about New York approx
| mately 1880 men who had been I'M
| lawfully evading military service
Quoted into the Army and more than
| $4,000 others who were wanted by
| their local boards have been appre-
| hended.
IAN official of the Department of
Justice is proceeding to New York
| to inquire into alleged abuses OF
| power in individual cases in connec-
ton with the apprehension of these
men"
| 1t is also authoritatively stated:
| 1.-The Stacker round-ups in New York
i city were carried out at the direction
| of the Department of Justice and full
responsibility for this is assumed by
| A. Bruce Bielaski. chief of the de-
4 partment's bureau of investigation"
Arrests in Other Cities.
Besides the men apprehended in
New York, 1t was said some 700 had
| been rounded up in Chicago and 800
| in Boston and sent to military camps.
Several thousand draft evaders I'm
! other eastern cities also have been
| arrested.
| An officer of the provost marshal
generals Office is said to have worked
| with the department in directing the
| raids, as well as the military intel
; ligence bureau and some naval off,
GERS. No announcement was made az
| to who authorized the use of soldiers
| and sailors in carrying out the round
ups.
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