The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-08-09
H|LO DRAFT BOARD
ACCUSED BY FIELD
Is Charged With LooseneSS OF
Methods - Similar AccuSa-
ton Made Against Him

The Hilo draft BOARD has it's opinion
of Captain II. G. Field, selcctive draft
officer, an opinion which has been vigor.
ously voiced through the press Of HilO.
Captain Field apparently has the same
high opinion of the HiIo draft board
and replies in kind.
Each blamrs the other for the series
of mix-ups that have resulted through
the sending to Honolulu from the Big
Island of men for the draft who should
never have been sent. The Hilo board
Indignantly refuses to shoulder Nhe
blame which it lays squarely on the
shoulders Of the selective draft officer.
while the latter. in statement to The
Advertiser yesterday, passes the buck
back to the Hilo men.
Captain Field dOesn 7 say wherein
the Hilo board is to blame. He mere
lr charges loOseness and ineffiriency,
which is practically the same charge
that is made 10 Hilo against him.
Captain Field, discussing the number
of men sent from Hilo to Honolulu un-
wv ihHNi l'l hll lhNS utH W
be forwarded here, said that he inter.
viewed one man, Felix Molina saving
the man had only a Class 3-B card,
which means that he has aged depend
Cnts, and the man asserted he was put
aboard the Mauna Kea at Hilo bv the
deputy sheriff of Hamakua. He added
that this appeared to be n sample Of
some Of the work Of the Hilo board
Looseness Charged
at is fact that down at the Fort
Armstrong mobilization camp the army
officers on learning n detachment of
Hilo men is coming, declare there will
be a mix.up" said Captain Field. "The
work Of the boards on Kauai and Ma
nj Is excellent, but the Hilo boards
work is not"
The Molina case, says Field, indicates
a looseness in the methods of those
in Hilo responsible for the forwarding
of draftees. He says that Molina was
taken from the plantation bv the de
putty sheriff, sent by train to HiIo and
is certain only the deputy sheriff placed
him on board
molina had a Class BIB card" add
ed Captain Field. "No one can say
that I asked any board to send Glass
3-B men to Honolulu Molina appear
ed before Captain Field with an inter
prefer. saying he had been rejected at
Fort Armstrong and wanted transpor.
tation back to Hilo. The man was an
emPlOye of Paauhau plantation and a
luna informed him that Deputy Sheriff
Rlckard wanted him. He responded and
Of kaA - H. 81 II.
official
Five men of the thirteen who came
here last Saturday from Hilo have been
sent to the mobilization camp, their
papers having arrived yesterday from
Hilo ST.. .,.
Westervelt Pays
what about the rest of the men
who came here and were then turned
loose on the community" Field was
asked.
"They were not turned loose" he
replied. They are being cared for by
the planters labor bureau, and Doctor
Westervelt has been looking out for
| them
"Out Of his own pocket-not the
government 'si"
81 believe so.
As a matter of fact when the mon
we're determined as illegally in Homo,
lulu as part Of the Hilo draft contin.
gent, and were informed that they
would have to shift for themselves.
Doctor Westervelt offered to look out
for them personally. Their lunch was
given them free by the Sweet Shop.
Captain Field said, however, that in
case no work is found here for the
men, the selective draft would send
them back to Hilo, the headquarters.
after all, assuming official responsible.
ity for their presence here.
wis.