Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 125, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1917 — U. S. Starts On Hunt For Draft Shirkers. [ARTICLE]

U. S. Starts On Hunt For Draft Shirkers.

The period of leniency has ended for men between 21 and 31 inclusive who failed to register for the war army last Tuesday. Provost Marshal General Crowder sent to the governors of all the states a message asking them to inaugurate from today a vigorous, aggressive and effective enforcement of the penal clause of the selective draft sendee law against all who have, by their failure to register; brought themselves under these provisions. The penalty for failure to register on June 5, is imprisonment for a year- and enforced registration, but General Crowder immediately after registration day recommended that local registration boards provide furthur opportunity for delinquents. The department of justice Monday notified United States Attorneys to release those already arrested for failure to register, providing they have now registered. General Crowder has nearly completed a draft of regulations to govern exemption and exception boards, and expects to lay it before Secretary Baker in a few days for approval. The General believes no class should be exempted as such, but that local boards should decide on the circumstances in each individual case. He favors use of some device, such as a jury wheel for drawing names of those to be examined, by the Exemption board. The regulations will be made public in detail after Secretary Baker and President Wilson approve them. Among states reporting so far, Ohio stands first in proportion of registration to the census estimate with 113 per cent. Illinois has 104.7; Wisconsin 194.6; New Hampshire 102.9; North Carolina 103; lowa *191.3; and Connecticut 100.9. Washington is the lowest state with 50.9.