Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-02-13
THE ARMY DRAFT.
NedicaI Examinations of Glass 1 Men
Resumed.


x,adicaI Examinations OF Class men
Resumed.
One hundred more men OF class l are
,eipg given their medical examinations
th;s week. sixty each day Monday, Tues
.vand Wednesday. The men called for
tbsse examinations include many not
previously examined under the old draft
Man. so that the number passing is much
larger than last week. Then, too, new
regulations which we're seat out last week,
which are less stringent in regard to
minor physical defects, greatly reduce the
number OF reflections.
NEW DRAFT LEoIsLATIoN.
Favorable report on the war depart
ment's bill amending the seisctive draft
law to require registration OF men as they
reach twenty-one years, and basing
ouotas on the number OF men in class one,
instead OF on state populations, was unan-
imously ordered Friday by the Senate
military committee.
The proposal to exempt men as they
reached thirty-one II they have not been
drafted, which was opposed by Provost
MArsnAl trtHtia AIoWutIt WIS NV
cIuded in the bill. An amendment to re-
auire registration of youths at nineteen
and over, also was rejected.
THE ''sLAcKER" SPIRIT.
1.-THE spirit OF the selective service draft
In certain localities OF our State has bruk-
en- down." says the Maine Committee on
Public Safety in q statement issued
through it's chairman, Hon. Harold NJ.
SewaiI OF Bath.
"Unworthy claims to exemption are
being made, and, in many instances
through lack of proper information, have
passed the exemption board successfully"
says the statement.
1.-The executive committee OF the Pub
lie Safety committee, after a conference
with the adiutant- generals department,
is determined by every means within its
power and through the aid OF the local
committees, that this practice shall stop.
II appeals to every parent OF those who
have periodically accepted service under
the draft, to every neighbo and to every
citizen knowing the facts to help.
Transcription was invoked by our gov
eminent as the iairest and surest method
OF obtaining a democratic army whose
membership should embrace the rich and
the poor, the high and the low, the sons
OF the leaders in business and professions,
and the laymen, who are physically fit.
and whose immunity from service should
rest solely upon physical defects, de-
tendency OF relatives, and upon business
employment which could better serve the
government.
1.-THE practical workings OF the draft,
however, have revealed class of men " no
have not hssitated to magnify their phys
icsl ailments, to claim exemption ON &C.
count OF dependency of mem bers of their
family, whom they never assisted or as
sisted only IN a half hearted manner, and
in some cases have gone SO far as to claim
falsely the dependency OF some member
OF their family, who, as a matter OF fact,
was rendering support to the claimant;
and many OF these slackers have rushed to
the shipyards in our State, coming even
from other states, TO secure exemption
from draft.
"As against these draft slackers' are
those young men OF character who have
answered their questionnaires in regard
to their physical condition, their depend
enee and their employment, with perfect
truth. They not only recognize their
duty to their country, but they have too
much manhood TO shirk that duty, even
il they could get by, by subtertuge or
perjury.
ave believe the same principle which
should prompt the citizen to expose the
pacifst and the spy, should prompt the
citizens to furnish to the proper authori-
ties information OF those men who, under
the provisions of he draft act, are shirk-
ing their duty to their county. We, there
fore, ask every citizen who can give in
formation in regard 10 the misstatements
or false statements OF any man who has
been eligible to the draft, and of any man
exempted because OF connection with any
industry who, since he has been classed,
has left that industry, to furnish this in
formation TO us in confidence. We will
not expose the intormant's name, but we
will try to see that the Stacker does his
duty"