Alien’s Freedom: A Gritty Fight Against the Draft

In a landmark decision, Judge George Bourquin of the federal district court has granted a writ of habeas corpus to John Beck, an alien from Helena, Montana. This move has sparked a heated debate on the rights of non-citizens during wartime. Beck, who was being held in the military guard house at Fort Harrison for allegedly being a deserter, has been ordered released from custody. The ruling, handed down on September 29, 1917, has significant implications for the city’s exemption board and the Selective Service Law.