Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-04-04
LOCAL AND DISTRICT
DRAFT BOARDS QUIT
LONG, COMPLICATED WORK IS
FINISHED-CALLED $4,000
MEN TO WAR.

Though the 66 local and four dis
trict draft boards throughout the
state ceased their labors Monday
night, state draft headquarters here
will remain open indefinitely with
Capt. I. w. Zeigaus in charge. to
serve as the final clearing house for
closing attentions to an undertaking
that since June %, 1917, has handled
in minute detail the countless factors
of applying a new and untried draft
registration system to approximately
$4,000 men. That operation has
involved the expenditure Of 100000
federal funds in the state in addition
to state and private contributions.
Records kept by the boards are so
voluminous that they are being as
sembled at Seattle, Auburn, Everett
and Spokane for shipment to Wash
ington, d. C. The straight registra-
tion and induction lists will 60 by
freight, but deserter and delinquent
records are to be sent by express
direct to the provost marshal general.
State draft headquarters have min
utely canvassed the records of $4,000
of the latter Final disposition of
their cases is future problem.
BY orders now effective, from mid
night Of March 81 draft deserters and
delinquents automatically fall into
the classification of men actually In
service and absent without leave.
This places them under court-martial
Jurisdiction when apprehended, with
the business Of apprehending them
left with the federal department OF
justice. The total of $4,000 Is sub
ject to repeated sitting and no esti-
| mate has been attempted on the num-
ber that will eventually prove culp-
able.
In the course of their work the
local and district boards have select
ed and sent $4,000 men in round
numbers to the national army, the
states total contribution through
draft and enlistment being $4,000.
The Washington boards dealt with
every draft problem presented the
nation with the exception of colored
registrants in any appreciable num-
ber. They had the alien situation In
all its phases and established q ma
tional reputation for enforcing an all
American policy from the beginning.
On account of proximity Of the Cana
dian border they were also constantly
involved in international questions
raised by draft law enforcement.
They had the first contact with Alas
ka registration dificulties and con
slant handling Of draft law applica-
tion to seafaring men.
Their methods In all these matters
were the subject Of frequent favor
able comment by the provost marshal
general and were used often in set
ting the pace for. boards In other
states.
In the beginning, from May 20,
1917. to December Is Of that. year,
~stAte draft operation was ha0daed ~
q part OF Governor Listers ONCE
work, with some of the important de-
tail assigned to the adjutant gener-
! sars department in Seattle. In De-
! cembor all draft direction was re-
moved to q special department at
Olympia in executive charge of Capt.
I. w. Ziegaus under direction of Gov
ernor Lister. The present acting
governor, Louis F.. Hart, was one OF
the members Of the Tacoma district
board that had no vacancies during
g the registration period. More than
200 tons of Official printed matter