New-York tribune., 1921-01-05
Legion Urges
Congress Get
Slackers' List
Commander Asks Palmer
and Baker Be Called by
Committee to Explain
Their Mysterious Silence
Own Efforts Are Futile
Tells of Secretary of Wars
Refusal to Reveal the
Names of Draft Evaders

''o" INC lf'ounc'S Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-The request
that Secretary Of War Baker and At.
torncy General Palmer be called before
the House Judiciary Committee to dis.
close "the facts surrounding the mys,
terious official silence which invests
the war Stacker situation" was made
to-day in telegram sent to Chairman
Volstead of the committee by f. w
Galbraith jr., commander of the Amer,
lean Legion.
The House Judiciary Committee has
before it the Watson bill to make non
applicable the statute of limitation in
Stacker cases.
"Tho American Legion is unwilling
that those who deserted their country
and deGed the law in the hour of ma
tional peril should go unpublished for
their trcachery" Commander Gal
braiths message to Chairman Volstead
said.
Efforts made by the Legionares to
get assurance from Secretary Baker
that the list Of draft deserters would
be published and the offenders pun
ished have been futile. Several months
ago Secretary Baker authorized an an
nouncement by the War DEPARTING
that the lists of all evaders would be
posted in tho postoffices of all towns,
but shortly thereafter he modified this
statement by asserting that ample op-
portunity would be given all regis
trants to purge themselves of the
charge Of desertion by correctly stat
ing their status to the proper military
authorities.
Repeated requests that a definite
time limit be set in which cvaders
could remove the stigma attaching to
their present classification as slackers
have been refused by the War Secre-
tary. lie has persistently asserted
that he did not desire to make any
move that would bring disgrace upon
any citizen who might have served his
country without the knowledge of the
military authorities.
1t was disclosed to-day at the War
Department that the manual of courts
martial of the army specifically ex-
cIudeS ueSeftCrS from the lists OF mill
tary offenders who might escape pun
ishment by the two-year statute lim-
tation. Article 80 Of the courts martial
laws reads:
Except for desertion committed in
time of war, or for nutiny or murder
no person subject to military law shall
be liable to be tried or punished by 4
court martial for any crime or offensc
committed more than two years before
the arraignment Of such person"
In his message to Chairman Vol
stead Commander Galbraith said, in
part: 81 am informed that as chairman
OF the House Judiciary Committee now
considering the Watson bill you are
empowered to call before that commit
tee the Secretary Of War and the At
torney General of the United States to
ascertain the facts surrounding the
mysterious official silence which in
vests the war Stacker situation. l sin
cerely hope this will be done and that
no means will be spared by your com
mittec to bring to light the reasons
which have actuated the War Depart
ment or whatever branch Of the gov
ernment is responsible in failing to
publish the names of known slackers
1t is unfair to the millions who
served, an aifront to the thousands of
disabled who are still paying the price
OF the victory, Il betrayal of our heroic
dead and an insult TO those who mourn
them that a single known Stacker
should without retribution enjoy the
blessings Of a national liberty he
lacked the manhood to help defend"