Arizona republican., 1918-04-08
Bombing the 'Resistrants

It is not only our inexperience in such matters, but fluctuatng circumstances that have made sary changes and notifications in the operation of the selectve draft law. It at first thought that would be called upon to send large number of to Europe. It will be remembered that short a time as year ago it was seriously thought by sensible that would not need to send any; that if could furnish the allies with food. tions and money that would be part. That we private circles.
 As soon that voiced, the French and the British especially the former, confessed that their man-power was inadequate and the selective draft law passed It estimated and the estimate quite accurate that under it 1OOOOOOO would be registered. Out of that number the government would take it's pick only of the best and those who could be the most conveniently spared The old rule to physical fitness to be applied Iigidly; the matter of dependents was to be left wholly to the local boards In fact it was boasted that the entire administration of the law from regis tration to induction to be oca the federal gov ernment was going to do nothing but receive the soldiers sent by the states
 It was that that free and easy arrange ment was impracticable and it not long until exemptions began to decline in number exemptions for physical and other reasons
 In the meantime the demand for man power greatly increased. There two steadily growing demands-one from the allies and the other from American industry The fact became apparent that under our loose administration of the law neither de- mand could be fully met Then last fall came the new classification of regstrants the seectve draft 1t seemed for the time be scientific and business like arrangement but it too has been found to be inadequate It is also apparent now that even with tho law amended so to make available all young nnen ne fhr-yre ,l,n year, We still will not have enough from the higher classification of the list of regstrants
 It is now proposed comb the list and place every resisrant in the servce of the government either , the ranks of the fighting men or in the ranks of essential industry. Those left over may engage in so-caned useful though none essential industry sub Ject however, to call for government service regard iss or ther present classification is further pro- p0sep 'o sVe hrst attention to those engaged in un- desirable industry and idlers so that industry ee sential as well as merely useful may be as slightly disturbed as possible by tho of the draft
 All this can be accomplished merely by chang ing the regulations There is, though a further nro position which would require amendment of the law providing for the registration for essentia, o useful industry of all the age of fifty so that they could be drafted for any work for which tbev might be fitted thus greatly increasing the ranks of labor and placing every his services might oe most needed The government would thus become sort of compulsory employment bureau
 In this. connection the suggestion has been made that opposition to such amendment might come from organized labor which might see in these forced additions to the ranks of labor lowering of wages
 We cannot think, though, that organized labor would be so unpatriotic to place it's own welfare above the needs of the nation for this arrangement would not be entered upon except under the stress of great national need.
 The man or the organization which would oppose
 itself is deserving only of the kind of consideration that should be given to the nations enemies