The sun., 1918-12-04
VIOLATING THE QUESTION
MARE.
Has the Government Tricked the
!, Men Liable TO Draft

To THE EDITOR OF TIE SuN---Sr: As
chairman Of the legal advisory board
assigned TO local board 100 during
most OF the draft there has come to
my knowledge an act OF this present
Administration IN connection with this
draft that causes all the indignation in
my makeup to open rebellion against
the methods of this Government per-
petrated toward the brave men who
were required to give their services and
their lives in the protection OF this
Government.
Question 20 OF the dependency clause
or the QUESTIONABLE requires an answer
disclosing whether or not the regis
trant has paid any income tax and tho
amount.
My local law board aided over 5000
reglstrants and advised them that this
dependency series was sacred and could
not be examined by any one out
side OF the local board and those en-.
forcing tho selective draft. as the selec-
tive service regulations issued In Novem-
Der, 1917, 80 provided, and also pro-
vided that any person not authorized
no TO do who examined this dependency
clause should be imprisoned for a term
OF one year. The chairman OF our local
board 129 was most particular In this
respect.
l am now informed that the officers
OF the Internal Revenue Bureau have
examined the dependency series in the
uuesticnnaires for the purpose OF learn
Ing what they disclose regarding the
registrant's income and his income tax
| payment or non-payment The Govern
ment now states that this Ia permitted
under an amendment to the selective
service regulations passed September 10.
/ 1918. which was not published or dis
! tributed until late In October, 1918,
after the filing OF most OF the last batch
OK questlonnaires, go that no one knew
OF this permission to the Internal rev.
enue officers TO examine the question:
naires until late In October.
| This dependency clause was Allied out
| by the reslstrants under the guarantee
OF secrecy and now 1t is violated in
the most unheard OF and Prussian-
like manner. That this Government has
stopped so low as TO trick those who
"eio catieu 10 preserve IL INTO possl-
BILE m!sstatement OF income and lay
| themselves open to prosecution regard
ing income tax. and that the confidence
| In that regard was violated under a
| QUESTIONABLE which was supposed to
give the Government information as to
now the registrant could serve It In
war time, is criminal!
| No doubt 1t will be interesting for
the officers OF the Internal revenue bu-
reau who have examined the question
mares nled prior to September IL. 1918,
10 know that they are liable TO criminal
prosecution and imprisonment for one
year FOR so doing. as the regulations
| of September l5. 1918, do not and could
| not apply to queytionnaires fled prior
thereto. and 1 hope for an opportunity
! ? test this point.
Every lawyer and layman to whom I
| have disclosed the above facts has been
| indignant beyond expression and char
| ncter!zes IT, as have. as the act Of a
Prussian officer and as tending to under
| mine our faith In the fairness and de-
cency OF our Government. under which
| we are trying to live.
1t Is now promulgated by the War
Department that these questionnaires
are all to be sealed and held for fur
I ther examination. but the sleuths OF the
| Internal revenue service have all the
| information from these dependency
clauses they desire. and no doub: they
will descend upon the regstrants and
| haul them before the Internal revenue
officers for further annoyance and loss
| OF time and without beneft to this Gov
'rnment
Some Senator or Congressman who
believes that We should not follow