Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-07
LIGHT REGISTRY FOR THE DRAFT
CAUSES INQUIRY FOR FRAUDS
Continued from Page One

Continued from Page One
believe that many aliens crossed the
ferry to register.
Under the present draft rules an alien
is given deferred rating. Some of the
local draft boards, however, have held
to the principle that one who has been
in this country ten years and has not
taken out naturalization papers is to be
considered the same as an American,
50 far as military service is concerned.
While every draft board has acknowl-
edged allure to reach the expected reg
istration Wednesday, boards which have
accepted aliens were particularly avoid
ed by resident aliens.
The draft law requires that one who
is absent from his home on June 5, must
register at the nearest board.
At that time Ma ior Murdoch, in charge
of State draft headquarters, sent a
warning to all draft boards to be on
the lookout for fake letters and tele-
grams purporting to be Official" docu-.
ments concerning the duties of draft
officials.
He charged that forgery and fraud
were being used by private individuals"
to mislead the draft boards in their
registration work.
Here is Major Murdocks warning:
This office is receiving information
that many local and district boards are
receiving letters and kilograms either
sent to them or purporting to be sent
to them from some branch of Govern
ment departments or bureaus in wash
ington or elsewhere. Some of these
communications are genuine but without
authority and should be ignored Some
are forgeries and are fraudulent.
please impress upon local boards
IN observe
instructions only from the Governor. or
the adjutant general, or the draft ex-
ec,ltiye or, in rare cases of emergency,
| Instructions issued direct to such boards
! by the provost marshal general IL 49,
| of course, proper for Government Of
fcials and others to communicate in the
manner provided in regulations directly
with local and district boards concern
/ ing registrants, and to furnish to boards
the prescribed forms, affidavits and in
| formation required or authorized by the
regulations, but there is no authority
! in any person to issue any instructions
/ to any boards except as specifically pre-
scribed in the regulations as ABOVE
stated.
Charges OF Forgery
Forgery and other fraudulent means
are being resorted TO by private in
| diyiduaIs in order to mlslesd boards
concerning facts ahrctihg hapih'y u
military duty.
"Caution biards to scrutinize carefully
all communications purporting to he Of
6cisI and in case of doubt or suspicion
,o refer the matter Immediately to you
"Fraudulent communications of thi!
sort are likely to be resorted TO in con
naction with the registration, especial,
unon the question of age. Please
nronptly report to this office any an'
ali cases which appear suspicious ol
where any unauthorized person, Office
or department attempts to instruct o
control action of boards. Please com
,runicate this TO all local boards AM
district boards Immediately. using tn
telegraph IL necessary, and acknowledg
receipt and report your action by teie
Pro-German propa ganda is limited b.
hesdauarters in this latest investigation
Vigorous prosecution is promised in a
cases where the work of the draft on
: cials was hindered by such means,
{ Throughout the State the 2s2 draf
, boards registered only 6o.551 men, abou
I0. 600 below the minimum estimate. Q
; this number of suspected slackers
/, least one-half are in this city.
Actual moves against these allie
D slackers. many Of whom are known I
the ofYicials, will be undertaken immedi
, ately upon receipt Of the necessary Al
thority from Washington. Meantime, II