Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-06-07
Editors Letter Box
Mr.. PattanuaII AGAIN,

Ss>o'Sot NSo"'
Editor kennebec Journal
The personal illusions to me in your
editorial of Wednesday entitled What
Is It All About?" give me right to re-
quest you to publish this letter.
Passing over the immaterial portions
of the editorial and answering the in
curry contained in its title, the matter
which I have been endeavoring to call
the attention of the public during the
last few days is this:
CLASS in the selective draft, accord
ing to the QUESTIONABLE sent out by fed
eral authorities, is made up of the fol-
lowing registrants: Man whose wife
or children are mainly dependent on his
labor for support. The district boards
OF this State have interpreted" that
language to mean Man having a wife
and at least three children dependent
upon his labor for support"
There is no authority for any such in
depreciation. General Crowder has not
authorized it. 1t has not adopted in
any state but Maine. 1t is lndefensible
and no one has attempted to publicly
defend it. But it is the basis upon
which the district boards are now clas-
styling resistrants.
That is What 1t Is All About" The
Journal wonders why l am interested N
the matter. | wonder why the Journal
is not interested in it. 1t ought to be-
The Journal cannot want the young
married men of Maine placed on a diff
ferent footing in the draft than are the
young men of other states Surely that
is not a defensible proposition.
The Journal insists that if there is
anything wrong in the matter l ought
to confine my criticism to the draft
boards and not include Governor Milli-
ken and his appointees, General Presson
and Captain Lawry.
Governor Milliken and his assistants
claim the work of Redistribution as
their own. Last nights papers contain
press dispatches headed General
Crowder praises Governor Milliken for
stand upon draft" Governor Milliken
is the head of the whole proposition.
He denied. at first. that he had anything
to do with it, but now he is claiming
credit for it.
The Journal also insists that I ought
! to include General Crowder in my con-
domination of this warranted action
toward Maine men. Not so. In the dis
patch above referred to the last SEN
tence reads:
"Crowder believes that men in Glass
whose families are not dependent
upon them for support should be trans
ferred to Class p
Nobody is disputing that. That is not
the point. The boards. inspired by the
governor and his appontees are trans
ferring to Glass = men whose families
are dependent upon them for support.
Is that right? Ought it not to stop?
Is it not an important matter to our
| people? 1t means placing more than
10000 men whose families are dependent
upon them for support in the service at
least year sooner than they should
be so placed. This means an unneces-
sary expenditure by Maine for State aid
OF at least 100000. 1t means all kinds
of financial hardship to those directly
important of all. it means creating more
widows and orphans in Maine than In
any other state in the Union.
These things constitute too great a
sacrifice to make. even to satisfy the
egotism and vanity of Governor MILL
ken, his Adjutant General, and their as
sistants.
Augusta
w. r. Pattangall.