The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-04-01


are truly remarkable:
Out Of a registration OF 23.0Os5T6
men. there were reported 4S9OO3 cases
Of desertlon. or total Of 2.0i per
cent Of the total registration. Of this
number. II appears that 1871 .35i cases
were accounted for by enlistment In
our own armies and those Of our al
lies and erroneous induction Of aliens
and other registrants. So that the to-
tal ~ net desertions was reduced 10
33T,6i9. or i.4i per cent Of the total
registration. or this last number 163-
73S men have been apprehended and
their cases disposed Of. leaving an
,ctuai balance Of outstanding cases Of
desertion In which the offender has
neither been accounted for nor pun.
ished 1921 or or Of per cent Of
the total registration.
II therefore appears that out 81 n
total registration Of more than 23,ooo-
600 men but i.41 per cent wrongfully
sought to escape the military obliga-
tion Imposed upon them by the selec
tive service law. and that nj the pres
ent time hut or Of per cent Of the
entire registration group have failed
TO respond 10 the duty imposed upon
10 Justice. II also appears that be-
tween September II. 1918, and June
30 1919. 5000 deserters have been
apprehended and delivered To the mil
itary authorities for disposition. II l.
thought that within the next IL months
the total Of net outstanding desertlons
will be materially reduced. so that the
final result will show percentage
very much less than the present low
figures stated above.
Not the least interesting informa.
ton that the final compilation oG. sta
tistics concerning the operation ~ the
draft disctoses Is It's cost. The total
amount appropriated by congress for
the expenses OF the selective service
system was 81. So6.e03. or this
amount. s3o.sI7,91424 was expended.
People Are Neglected.
The Virgin islands in the Caribbean
sea. which recently came into posses
sion Of the United States through
purchase from Denmark. must be
Americanized. This Is tho gist OF
the report Of the joint congress
sional committee which made a
trip to the islands for the purpose Of
looking into the allegation that the
United States Is neglecting the wei
fare Of the islands. This country has
had so many big problems To deal with
since IL bought these islands that Il
has really paid very little attention TO
them. As soon as title To the Islands
passed from Denmark To the United
States President Wilson issued an or
der which committed the government
OF the Islands temporarily to the navy
department That order was issued
about the time the United States was
getting into the war with Germany.
Ever since that order was promulgat-
ell Rear Admiral J. w. Oman, U. =.
~, has served as governor Of the is
lands. The power conferred on the
admiral was limited and he has. II
seems, not attempted any reforms. be-
cause he felt that he was not author
lied to do so.
The senators and representatives
who made up the joint committee that
visited the islands was very emphatic
In the declaration that this country
must either do something for the in
habitants OF the group OF Islands or
turn the Islands over to some govern
ment that will take an interest In the
people. The outstanding features Of
the report of the joint committee.
which will shortly be submitted to the
two houses of congress. are embodied
In the following recommendations:
"a American ideals and American
standards as far as possible shall be
made the ideals and standards OF these
possessions. (2) An American form OF
civil government should be estab-
lished for the group Of Islands. go
United States currency should be
adopted in the islands. ca An educa-
tional system adapted TO the needs Of
the inhabitants should be provided and
departments dealing with industrial
should be established without delay.
The government never has put forth
any clear statement as to why the Is
lands were purchased. II was said at
the time OF the transfer that they
would be useful 10 the navy OF the
country In case the United States
should ever be attacked by foreign
foe. The truth seems TO be that the
islands had become "A burden 10 Den
mark, which offered TO sell them 10 the
United States at a knockdown price
and that this government concluded
that the offer was bargain and ac-
cepted II. Whatever the justification
for the purchase Of the Islands, IL now
Is incumbent on the United States, ac-
cording TO the joint congressional com
mittee, to do something for the inhabi-
tants and do II AT once. The commit
tee will report to congress that the
people are not any better of under
American rule than they were under
the Danish rule.
Group Of Fifty Islands.
While only three Islands In the
group ever get public mention there
are, all told. some fifty Islands that
Al. Ill a