New-York tribune., 1918-05-02
Phillips Ordered
To Return toCa1r1p
After Defying US.
Columbia Paci6st Com
manded to Report for
Duty at Fort Slocum

Obeying an order from the War De.
partment at Washington, the New
York draft authorities, according to
an announcement yesterday from the
office of Director Conboy, have finally
recertlfied Charles Francis Phillips for
service in the National Army.
phillips is directed to report for duty
at Fort Slocum Saturday. He was dis
charged from Camp Upton on March 2
because he had served one day in Jail
for conspiracy to violate the draft law.
He was held to be a felon, and un-
worthy of the uniform of the United
States army. His case until yesterday
has been held under consideration and
advisement"
Phillips was not at home when the
announcement came from the Office of
Draft Director Conboy. He was busy.
1t was said, with plans for the proposed
gathering here to-day of "conscien-
tious objectors," under the auspices of
the Young Democracy" pacifist or
ganlzation which he has been promot-
ing since he got away from Yaphank
eight weeks ago. Friends declared,
however, that he was still determined
to avoid combatant service.
Case Considered Singular
Phillips's case is regarded as one of
the most singular yet developed by
conscription in the United States. Last
I'M
York to be arrested for failure to re-
gister. Before and after that incident
he was active in furthering anti-con-
scriptionist movements in and out of
Columbia University. from which he
subsequently was dropped.
Then ne and Miss Eleanor Parker. a
Barnard graduate, with Owen Cattell.
son of j. McKeen Cattell, professor
who was forced out of Columbia few
months ago, were indicted and tried in
the Federal District Court for conspir-
acy to evade the draft. Miss Parker
was acquitted, and thereupon married
hlm, but not soon enough to win an
exemption for the young husband
Phillips was convicted. The uenaltv
for the offence charged is two wears
IN prison and fine of $4,000, but he
was sentenced to serve only day in
jail, besides losing his citizenship and
paying fine of $500. After paving the
fine and serving the day in The Tombs
he at once filed with Local Draft Board
l29 claim for exemption. on the
ground that he was a convicted felon
and, therefore, unfit morally for the
army.
Board Rejects Claim
The board rejected the claim. He
appealed: The appeal board, headed by
Charles f. Hughes, confirmed the local
boards stand.
Phillips, meanwhile, became an asso-
ciate editor of WAR" pacifist prona-
ganda publication which described it's
editors and contributors as ''little SOL
diers of peace"
Late in February he was ordered IN
report at Camp Upton. He was dishon.
orably discharged as felon. He came
home directly after his discharge and
resumed his pacifist activities. Hc
also asked for passport to the Canarv
Islands, which was denied, and It was
said that he rather fancied trim to
fucatan, Mex. where number Of
young American draft eligibles are re-
ported to have founded COLONY.
When it became known. a few waaLs
ago, that Phillips had been promotino q
the Young Democracy" and planning
Tor a convention of young student pa.
cltists, theoretical radicals and philo.
sophlc anarchists, inquiries in Wash
lngton elected statements from War
Department officials that the draft
board here had ample power, and that
II Philips had not been ordered back
10 camp IT was "dua to negligence
somewhere"