Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-02-29
PROSECUTIONS WILL START SOON IN
 STACKER CASES
Large Number of 173,911| Cases of Draft Dodgers
 are 'Wilfup

Washington, Feb. 2A.-1nstructions have been issued through the Adju- tant-Gencral by direction of Secretary Baker, to govern the disposal of draft deserters and delinduents, of which 5,260 cases remain on the books, 173,911 of these being classed as will ful and 151.354 as nonwillful.
 The charge of desertion is to be set aside in the coses of those delin- quents who were actually in the army, navy or marine corps on the date on which was set for their induction into the service, while those who were not in the service on that date but who afterward served in the mil itary service are to be treated as hav- ing been absent without leave, and not as deserters.
 The names of nonwillful deserters are to be stricken from the list, leav- ing the names of the willful desert CTS so that they may be dealt with by courtmartial proceedings.
 Secretary Baker Orders
 The instructions issued by Secre- tary Baker, in part, as follows:
 "Those registrants who were in the military, naval or marine corps serv- ice of the United States at the time set for their induction are considered exempted from the selected service draft by section 4 of the selective service law. Consequently, the charge of desertion should be set aside by order of the Secretary of War as erroneOusly made.
 "Those registrants who were Order- ed inducted, but who failed to obey the induction order, or to entrain for mobilization camp persuant to such order, or who absented themselves from their party en route to their mobilization camps, or otherwise neg lected to proceed to camp as ordered and subsequently served honorably in the army, navy or marine corps, prior to November II, 1918, whose draft evasion has not been disposed of by military authorities, shall not be held to have willfully evaded the draft, the honorable service referred to being considered prima facie evidence of the nonwillfulness of such evasion. Such registrants shall be treatd as having been absent without leave from the draft service and not as hav- ing deserted. therefrom.
 "Those men originally classified as draft deserters and later reclassified by their draft boards and given de- ferred classification subsequent to de- did technically, under the selective service law, desert. The ac- ton of the draft board in reclassify- ing such men did not and could not cancel their induction. The deferred classification was given in good faith by the draft board. The War Department desires therefore to ratify the action of the draft board as far as legally possible. This will be done by setting aside the charge of desertion as not willful and discharg- ing such men by order of the Secre- tary of war.
 Lists to Be Published.
 The authority for discharging or otherwise disposing of draft desert- CTS, as given above, applies not only to those of the 151, ,354 draft deserters segregated by the Adiutant General and Provost Marshal General as not chargeable with desertion, but to such of the 173,911 men classi- fled as willful deserters, as well to whom the conditions are applicable. It is understood that the list of 173.- 9l1 names was first tentative list and that certain numbers of these men served in the United States army. navy or marine corps, etc., or may have died.
 The revised list is to- be published in whole, or locally in sections. so IS to inform the Department of Jus tice and police officials throughout the country and to inform the de- serter himself and his friends and that charge of de- sertion stands against him.
 The War Department policy, with reference to those draft registrants classified as deserters who performed military service in the army, navy or an allied power is that where such men have been placed on he list of nonwillful deserters, their names remain on such list, without further action. If the men wish to obtain a discharge from the draft hey must report to the commanding officer of the nearest military camp, post or station, who will investigate each case and settle it on it's merits.