The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-13

| jects of nation at war with Germany
and who are subject to military serv-
ice as we'll "Thc effect is odd, says
| Congressman Parker of New Jersey
'An Englishman would be deported
/ because he is subjected to military serv-
Ice. An lrishman would not because
| he is not subject to military service.
| A Canadian, as long as he is not sub
| lect to military service, would not be
| deported; neither would an Australian
; or New Zealander, but you send
Frenchman or an Italian, or an Eng
! lishman back = This is not all the
bill would do, if your correspondent is
| correctly informed. Enemy subjects
! here are now given full power to stay
here and they will not be deported. In
fact, they cannot be deported.
The argument of one member for
the bill is the argument of practically
every member. 1t is more the principle
| than the bill that they are supporting
They believe that, despite the agree
ments reached between the United
States and Great Britain and Canada, it
will require many, many months during
which aliens should be fighting or pre-
pairing to fight instead of falling heir
to positions formerly held by Amer
leans. They argue that every alien
has had the privilege of living in this
land of the free, of educating his chill
dren, of worshipping God as he pleases,
of working for high wages, and of hav-
ing all the comforts of an orderly home,
and that in return should uphold the
institutions of this country in a life
and-death struggle. Congressman Emer-
son expressed the opinion of his col
leagues when he said: t'Manv aliens
are willing to do this; many have en-
hsted voluntarily; many have waived
exemption and have entered the army.
Ihey are just as good as any Ameri-
cans, and | am willing to welcome to
our great American family those who
have made this sacrifice But the con
temptable alien Stacker who has en-
Joyed all these privileges belongs in
the fighting line, and there he should be
placed. Statistics show that in the city
OF Cleveland, where / live, three aliens
nave registered in many precincts to
one citizen. There aliens sit quietly
by, enjoying this liberty, this prosper
lty, this great advantage of living in
America. Besides, they laugh at the
American boy who has to be sent across
o,uOo miles of sea to fight. -
Inc total number of men registered
under the provisions of the selective
draft act was 9,649, 93s, of which 900
.9' were classified as aliens. Accord
ing TO the summary sheets in the office
or the provost marshal general. this
latter number does not include tho.a
SUBJECTS OF foreign countries who
nave declared their intention of he
coming citizens of the United States
put VINO have not completed their citi
zenshlP here. There are. therefore. q
large number Of registrants not classi-
hed as Aliens, who, under treaty stipula
pohA If exercised. would be exemnt
from compulsory military service. The
nuihter OF aliens in New England is
large About one-third of the reqis.
trants Ill Massachusetts are aliens Tho
percentage is slightly larger in Conpep.
tcut. One registrant in fopr in New
Hampshire Is an alien, while the ratio
IN Vermont Is one in nine and one in
SIN IN Maine. This is one reason why
the New England members of the honsa
'Rfuso- detefmineda to make alieps s,,h4
lec' 70 military service. MANY of the
New England members spoke in favo,
OF the bill this week and the others viii
be heard on Wednesday. Friends and on.
ponentS of the bin agree that il win Ia
passed III some amended form. They
9eGIafe that there has been too much
aelay already in waiting upon the de-
Partmeht OF state to effect diplomatic
agreements