New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-05-27
PUBLIC GETTING
Stacker LISTS
NAMES OF THOSE WHO DODGED
THE DRAFT ARE PRINTED IN
SOME NEWSPAPERS.
WAR DEPARTMENT IS CAREFUL
Tries to Avoid Injustice Through Sim
iIarity Of Names-Only Persons
Having Authority May Arrest Any
Slackers They Find.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

BY EDWARD B. CLARK.
Westinghouse was not only durin:
the var that slackerS and general
derelicts in the held of duty gave
trouble TO the war department. The
department officials have been struG-
Cling for some time with what are
called the Stacker lists and it is only
now that they seem 10 have been able
&c emerge from some of their dithcul
ties.
Throughout the United States today
in places the lists of the names Of
men who lodged the draft are being
printed in the newspapers. Some pa
pers are printing them and some are
not printing them. The difficulty Is
that even yet there seems to be some
doubt In places as 10 whether or not
newspaper which prints the name
of a supposed Stacker. but who proves
not to have been one, is free from
the dangers of being sued for libel.
1t is the intention of congress, so
1t is said, to print the Stacker lists in
nv SbllEI 'CSlblltll lNNAblbg NV '''''
ONE persons hold. will preclude the
possibility of any man, who feels that
he has been injured, recovering dam
ages. The Congressional Record con
tains the official records Of the pro
ceedings of the congress of the Uni
ted States. Therefore, II opinion Is
that anything which appears therein
is privileged material.
Where Confusion May Arise.
One trouble which will come 10 some
men who served their country well,
may arise from the fact that there
are a good many men in the United
States of the same name. SO ii Is
that If John Smith in n certain local
ity Ia set down as n Stacker it may
be that the people will think 1t is an
other John Smith, n man who served
his corStry well. Ii is understood that
an attempt will be made 10 avoid
trouble of this kind by giving the spe-
cifc address of each Stacker, that is.
the address which he gave ut the time
of the draft.
Army headquarters have explained
that cer'ain rules governing the ar
rest of slackers have been misunder-
stood ly the public. Ii seems there
was ar impression abroad that any
one coald arrest a Stacker and that
$50 would be paid TO the arresting
person for each duty dodger that he
turned over 10 the army officials.
Must Have Authority TO Arrest.
The regulations actually provide. II
was stated at the war department,
that the person arresting a Stacker
may be allowed the actual expenses
incurred In delivering him over TO the
army authorities, but that the person
who does the arresting must have ac-
tual authority to make the arrest.
Seemingly this brings ii down to the
proposition that only n properly au-
thorlzed person may make arrests, but
that everyone Is expected, if he knows
the name and the whereabouts of a
Stacker. to provide the information
ing him.
Ii is said that there are somewhere
about 100000 slackers scattered over
the United States. OF course some /
of the men who lodged their respon-
slbility have gone to other countries,
but this number is fairly negligible.
Foreign Policy crystalIizing.
II looks today as If plans for
the immediate foreign policy Of
the United States. as II relates TO
the war and It's aftermath, are fairly
well crystallized. The United States
is TO be represented at the meetings
OF the supreme council. the council
Of ambassadors, and the PREPARATIONS
commission, all Of which are bodies
representing the allies.
The question today no longer is rs
to what form the representation Of
the United States on these bodies
shall take. The government is send
Ing officials with power actually TO
represent this country, to present its
views and, under instructions, TO act.
Gradually matters have developed
until the point has been reached
where II seems likely there will be
In immediate clearing up OF the
policy Of the administration concern
.ng foreign affairs OF Immediate mo-
There is still a division OF
In the United States senate
rs to whether or not this government
,hould enter at all into the councils
the allies, but IL is apparent that
he President and the secretary OF
and presumably the other cab
net officers also, have come TO the
conclusion that a majority Of the ma
ional legislators are willing that the
States shall take part In the
of clearing up the European /
roubles and particularly Of settling I
German ~reparations question. !
iardine's Intentions Becoming Clear. {
Washington has been studying the !
vents which have led up TO the pres
ut situation. II is certain now that the $
United States is no longer TO stand G
ntirely aloof from the councils Of the
lies and that II will take a more or {
sss active hand In the European pro- 4
During the campaign. Can a
ldate Harding made a speech which c