Page:The web (1919).djvu/323

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  • fore compelled him to straddle the hood on the car, and

on this ungainly perch, with the temperature 20° below, the unfortunate suspect was driven to the court house. Arriving there, the prisoner scratched his head and asked:

"What yuh bringin' me down here for?"

"Why, because you didn't register for the draft. You know what."

"Didn't register for the draft? I guess I did! Here is my blue card and my classification card."

Explanation followed. This man's name ended with the Polish "-ski" and was otherwise almost identical to the name of the culprit who was sought. When he was asked if he was "So-and-so-ski," it sounded so much like his own name that he admitted it. He was taken back to his lodgings in the seat beside the captain and proper apologies were made.

In most cases where humor existed, there was sometimes a mixture of tragedy. There was one man, a motor truck driver, who had made himself exceedingly popular with a number of women by wearing a uniform of an infantryman without having gone through the formality of enlistment. He was captured one day while paying a call on one of his admirers. Operatives burst in upon the imposter and told him he must straightway doff the uniform.

"But this is the only suit of clothes I have," he protested. One operative went to his truck and found an oil-stained suit of overalls. He was taken behind the screen and forced to get into these and give up his military raiment.

Another incident of this kind involved a young man who was subject to draft and who said he was ready to respond when called. He could not wait the Government issue of clothes, however. He went to a tailor and equipped himself with a suit of khaki which fitted perfectly and further adorned himself with the insignia of the Artillery Service and an officer's sleeve braid. When he was summoned to headquarters, he explained that he intended to take this uniform to camp to wear when "he went to town." His readiness to wear the uniform was communicated to his draft board by telephone and brought orders for immediate induction. Although he had sold all