The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-07-24
RECIPROCAL DRAFT
WITH THE BRITISH
Instructions Issued to the Local Boards
Are Submitted BY Adjutant Gen
eral Johnson of Vermont.

Adit Cen II. T. johnson has been re-
ceiying large number Of inquiries as to
the meaning of the provisions Of the
Anglo-American conventions relative to
compulsory military service, particularly
as to between this country and Canada,
SO that he has sent the following to the
local boards, explaining the provisions:
The Senate of the United States re-
Gently ratified conventions with Great
Britain relating to compulsory military
service of citizens Of Great Britain and
Canada in the United States and Of citi
zens Of the United States in Great Brit
and Canada. These conventions will
take effect from the date Of the exchange
Of notifications, which will probably be
sometime during the present month or
early in August Beginning immediate
ly, however, citizens of Great Britain in
the United States may enlist voluntarily
in the British forces and may continue
to do so until the expiration Of the re-
spective periods specified below.
The treaties provide that male citizens
of Great Britain and Canada in the
United States, between the ages of 20 to
"A, inclusive, shall become subject to the
/
after the expiration Of specified periods,
unless they voluntarily enlist in the
British forces or return TO Great Britain
for the purpose of military service dur
ing these periods. With respect to Brit
ish subjects who registered on June 8,
1917, or on June s, 1918, the period will
be limited to go days after the exchange
Of notifications; with respect to British
subjects 20 years of age and those be-
tween 80 and A years of age, inclusive,
who will be required to register later, 1t
will be limited to 30 days from the date
on which they are required to register.
The citizens of Great Britain who be-
come subject to the selectiye service law
because Of this treaty viii be entitled to
deferred classification and exemption just
as are American citizens The conven-
lions do not apply to citizens Of Great
Britain in the United States who, before
proceeding to the United States, were
ordinarily resident in place in the pos.
sessions Of Great Britain where the law
does not impose compulsory military
service.
The converse of the above is true with
respect to citizens OF the United States
in Great Britain, American citizens IN
Great Britain between the ages of is and
40, inclusive, viii be required to register,
but all Of them viii be exempted except
those between the ages of q to 30, in.
elusive.
1t should be especially borne in mind
that this is not a draft by Great Britain
of British subjects and Canadians in the
United States, These conventions mere.
" provide that British subjects and Ca
nadians in the United States shall be-
come subject to military service and en-
titled to exemption and discharge there
from under the laws of the United
States, unless within the prescribed time
they voluntarily enlist in the British
forces or return to Great Britain or Can.
ada for military service. 1t is for each
man to decide whether he will serve in
the British forces or remain in the Unit
ed States either to serve in the American
army or, in proper cases, TO be exempted
under the selective service law,