The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-17

HSQeQs
Considering the fact that the. willing
support Of the American people to
selective service was the corner stone
of the operation of our great army and
our successful military achievements,
the War Department does not deem it
proper to pursue the policy of un-
Justifiable leniency towards those who
deliberately evaded military service.
The creation of the huge army which
was sent TO the battlefields abroad
was the result of the selective service
act Of May 1S, 1917.
Although the critics of American in
situations predicted that in the event
Of a great war, the people Of the United
States would fail to rise to the full.
heights of patriotism and self-sacri-
flee in defense of their country. because
of selfish motives and foreign influ-
ences. the war has proved that the
old American spirit of sacrifice and
service is not only alive, but more
widespread than ever before.
During the period of active HOSTILE
ties, the government was assisted by
the various officials and agencies in
apprehending draft deserters; a small
but constant stream of whom were be-
ing delivered to posts, camps and sta
tons; but because of the fact that
those days were crowded with other
matters of more Importance, special
attention could not be given during
that time to the running down of the
comparatively small number of draft
deserters.
After the discontinuance on Novem-
Der 18th, 1918. of mobilization and in
duction under the selective service law,
the War Department began at once to
consider the question of the proper
disposition to be made of all those
registrants classified by the draft au-
thorities as draft deserters, with a
view to definitely settling their status
and Furnishing the guilty.
For this purpose instructions were
issued in December %, 1918, to the
local draft boards to segregate from
the 100000 records of draft regis
trants, those Of men reported during
the period Of the war as draft desert
ers. The shipment to Washington OF
these records, amounting to 489,003
began in March, 1919 Investigation
showed that comparatively small pro-
portion of the nearly half million
men reported as draft deserters could
be considered as wilful offenders.
In the reduction of this number, the
following class OF persons, numbering
about 10000 men had their cases dis
posed of during the war:
(a) Registrars who enlisted in the
Army. Navy or Marine Corps, but
failed to inform their local boards of
the fact.
Obj Men who failed to report for
military duty. because OF ignorance of
the seiective service act, but who after
learning of the seriousness of the of
Tense, reported to military camps for
service, and were restored to duty,
after satisfactorily showing that their
offense was not wilful.
(c) A small number of persons.
who during the progress OF the war
were convicted of desertion, or dis
charged as physically unfit for SER
vice.
(d) Registrars who died after
their induction orders were mailed.
OF the remaining $4,000 names, the
records of $4,000 showed that they
could not properly be charged with
desertion, and the records OF 173, 900
registrants revealed that they had
been ordered to report for military
duty and wilfully failed.
Out of over 24,000,000 reglstrants,
the maximum number chargeabie with
wilful desertion is 1891: consider
ably less than one per cent of the to-
tai registration, and a tremendous inn
provement over the draft record OF the
Civil War. The War Department, in
the near future. will publish to the
country list of men classified as will
full deserters, and desires to obtain
the cooperation of the various state
and local officials, patriotic societies
and other agencies, including the De-
partment Of Justice, in bringing about
the apprehension of these men. As
surances OF such cooperation have in
many cases already been given. Exact
copies of the list of names, grouped by
states. or other convenient divisions
will be available for postmastecs, po-
lice stations, and other agencies.
Pending publication of the list of
deserters, any man charged with draft
desertion who wishes to avoid the
humiliation OF arrest may voluntarily
surrender at the nearest Army Post,
Camp or station, in order that his
case may be investigated and his stat
us definitely determined. In the event
that any such mans case shall have |
been finally disposed of, prior to the |
publication of the list of deserters, his
name will be omitted from that list.
ANY draft registrant who is in doubt
as 10 his draft status may write to
the Adjutant General of the Army,
washington, D. c.. and find out how
ne Is classified. Notwithstanding the
ract that ignorance of such statue is
he registrants own fault. because OF
his lack of interest in keeping track
4 his obligations to the Government.
The War Department wishes II Gear
:. ,,,,sars4ood that men who are guilty
- yvilfnl desertion will not be relieved
Il the consequences of their miscon-
iuct. nor win they be discharged mere
v because they write to the AdJutant
General of the Army and request