Evening star., 1939-05-24
BY the Associated Press.

Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, World
War draft dodger, will arrive in New
York on the steamer Bremen to-
morrow, his attorney informed the
Senate Military Affairs Committee
today.
Harry Weinberger, the attorney,
said Bergdoll would be surrendered
at once to military officials.
Bergdoll's mother, sister, wife and
two children appeared today at the
Senate committee hearing on legisla-
ton recently passed by the House in
an effort to keep the draft dodger
from returning to this country from
his self-imposed exile in Germany.
His arrival tomorrow would come
before the legislation could become
effective.
The exile, member OF a wealthy
Philadelphia family, refused mill
tary service in the war, and after
being arrested escaped from Federal
officers. A five-year prison term
awaits him.
In lengthy plea to the Senate
Committee, Mr.. Weinberger present.
ed Photographic copies of passport,
which he said was issued for Berg
doll in 1924 by Secretary of State
Hughes, now Chief Justice.
Family at Hearing.
While Bergdoll's family listened
attentively, his attorney told the
committee "Bergdoll is coming back
after 20 years, to take five times
more punishment than practically
any other draft evader in the coun-
try, besides his years of exile, be-
cause he wants to come back to his
native land-he wants his children
to be educated and live in a free
country"
The attorney said he would sur
render Bergdoll at Governors Is
land, N. Y, pursuant TO letter OF
instruction received from the ad.
jutant general of the War Depart
ment."
He read a letter from the War
Department dated April 18, 1899,
which directed the surrender. and
added: "All questions concerning the
case may also be taken up with
that authority after the surrender"
Seated along a nearby wall were
Mrs. Emma c. Bergdoll. his mother;
his wife, Bertha; two of the German
born Bergdoll children. Erwin and
Emma, and Mrs. Elizabeth Hall,
sister.
Bergdoll's Wife Weeps.
Representative Harness, Repub-
lican, of Indiana. author of the
House-approved bill, suggested it be
amended by the Senate ito make
it felony for Bergdoll to land in
this country"
He committed the highest and
most detestable crime against this
country-that is treason" shouted
the Indianan, who served a year
overseas in the infantry.
Senator Minton, Democrat, of IN
diana interrupted to say this pro-
cedure would be unconstitutional.
Senator Holman, Republican. of
Oregon asked Representative Har-
ness to draft your amendment i'm
mediately" and added that he was
opposed to admitting aliens ION
these so-called hardship cases"
Bergdoll's small son paid little at
tention to the proceedings, singing
to himself.
At one point in his argument Mr..
Weinberger said Bergdoll tried to
serve the United States as an avia-
tor during the World War, but this
was refused, although he was a
daredevil pioneer racing automo-
bilist and aviator"
Most Publicized Draft Dodger.
Saying there were 337 $40 actual
military deserters from the Army
guilty of the same crime" the at
torney declared Bergdoll was known
as "the Nations No. Stacker" only
because ''he was the most publicized
of the more than one-half million
draft evaders and dodgers"
Public opinion is clearly in favor
of Bergdoll's return" the attorney
said as he quoted editorials from
Philadelphia newspapers.
He did not ask for an appearance
before the House committee which
considered the exclusion bill, Mr..
Weinbergers said, because he believed
opposition of the War Department,
together with its apparent uncon-
stitutionality, made its passage very
unlikely"