Lists of Indicted Draft Violators Obtained
Diocesan Press Service. November 15, 1974 [74322]
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The names of approximately 5,400 indicted draft violators -- many living in exile -- have been obtained from the U. S. Justice Department by groups counselling the war resisters on President Ford's "earned re-entry" program.
The lists of those in legal jeopardy will be kept in five counselling centers -- one in the U.S. and four in Canada -- operated by the National Council of Churches' Special Ministries/Vietnam Generation, according to its director the Rev. Richard Killmer. War resister exiles in Europe -- centered chiefly in Stockholm, London and Paris -- will also have access to the lists at counselling centers there.
" The importance of this information is two-fold, " Mr. Killmer said. "In the first place, draft violators now do not have to approach the Federal Government to find out if they are under indictment, but can talk directly to our counselors. Also, our counselors can now do file checks on their records in the Justice Department to see if there are any irregularities that might lead to quashing the indictment. "
Mr. Killmer stressed that war resisters in the U.S. can learn of their legal status by making a collect telephone call to the National Council's Clemency Information Center. The number : 317/635-8359. In Canada they may call the toll free number 800/665-8885.
The international counselling service was set up in late September -- shortly after President Ford announced his "earned re-entry" program -- under the aegis of the National Council of Churches' Special Ministries/Vietnam General department. In addition to the Indianapolis center in the U.S., there are centers in four Canadian cities -- Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal. Toll free calls are reaching the Indiana center at the rate of 20 a day. More than 2,000 calls have been made to the Canadian Centers.
There service will be available to the war resisters through next January 31 when earned re-entry will be terminated by the Government.