The Washington herald., 1920-08-01
By RAYMOND G. CARROLL.

New York. July 31.-Draft dodg-
holes emboldcned by the active
propaganda of such organizations as
the American Civil Liberties
Union" which seeks to free the for
ty-two conscientious objectors held
in the United States military prisons
The tBergdolls" of 1000 American
homes are gradually resppearing in
their pre-%ar hauhts.
--Cowardice put to a defense invar-
iably assumes the role of superiority.
Hence here in New York. which
since the spring of 1917 has been the
preferred hide out" of the national
'Cravens, the bold sunbasking of the
American coward is nauseating to
those who went overseas when the
drum roll sounded. Their superior
airs and patronizing manners to-
ward returned service men has pro-
Voked, in quite number of in
stances, the prompt Jumping up of
mo chin" countenances.
Secreted in Luxury.
half dozen Gotham lawyers tell
lIdN al lIltlT OIllCts are the cases
of youthful delinquents of distant
cities; well-to-do slackers who have
been seCreted away in luxurious
New York apartments from the time
America entered the war. Said one
lawyer:
Among my milksop clients is a
man who has paid bitterly for his
poltroonery. Although only 3O-odd
years old. his hair has turned snow
white. He has lived like a rat for
three years, and now begs my best
efforts to have warrant out
against him for desertion quashed in
his own home town. But for his
mother, fine Christian woman, l
would long ago have turned him
over to the Federal authorities"
Long Suspense Painful.
After all there is no pain equal to
that arising from prolonged sus-
pense. An assistant United States
attorney puts the draft dodgers of
the country into two classes:
There were those who skipped
to big city like New York,
changed their names. hired fats and
bought strong door chains. The
other class was made up of those
who simply retreated to their own
homes, had their women folk give
out they were away. and lived for
months and months in darkened
rooms where the curtains were ever
drawn.
Just imagine what must have
been the mental suffering of these
white-livered wretches who let our
brave youth bear their burdens in
on earth who touches the low levels
OF the recreant. nor struts with
greater bravado when the pressure
of fear is lifted. I am told that the
Washington administration is going
to prosecute vigorously every cow
ard 1t can pry loose from his pill
box refuge"
Haven Of wrongdoers.
For years New York has been the
recognized pet asylum for the
wrongdoer who has managed to
conceal his wick edness from the law
and is constantly under the drive
OF nagging conscience; the man
VINO cheated the widow, we will
say, OF his partner and comes into
the dense population of New York
10 escape from the accusing con-
tact of local environment, and 9TH
ers of that sort. 1t takes a Tam
many leader of an upper West Side
apartment house district to reveal
In detail this sordid side of a great
CITY; men of shifting eyes and
haunted look who never vote, suffi-
cientiy 'rich to purchase isolation.
Manhattan has a higher uon-vot-
ing percentage than any other place
In America. To this normal under
cover population add the draft
dodger influx of 1917. Then allow
Tor the presence on the lower East
SIDE OF the laek-energy Immigrant,
VINO instead of going further into
the country drops exhausted Just
WITHIN the gateway OF Liberty Land.
FOR IT probably explains what is
spiritually the matter With New
YORK and accounts for the lack or
civic pride In the metropolis which
real New Workers constantly be-
moan.
Plea for ssObjector.."
. The American Civil Liberties
union maintains headquarters at
NO. lSS West Thirteenth street, II
mas issued bulletin stating that
the United States Is the only coun.
Try which has not released its con-
scienuoas objectors. That portion