Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-19
SLACKERS OFFER
UNIQUE EXCUSES
They Find Many Fantastic Rea.
sons for Trying to Avoid
Military Service.
TRIBUNALS HEARING PLEAS
Indications Are That Married
Men Soon Will Be Called
to Colors.

LONDON. March ls.-Military ser
vice tribunals. consisting of anywhere
from seven TO twenty members. are
sitting throughout England hearing
applications for exemption from mon
eligible at the front. Many complaints
have begun to go up over the leniency
shown by tho, tribunals to single men,
who have offered rather fantastic rca-
sons for crading service in the army.
Complete exemption has been granted
In comparatively few cases, but post
poncments have been most frequent.
and the tribunals now arc being
warned that every single man excused
means the earlier calling out OF the
groups OF married men attcstcd under
tho Derby plan.
There is every indication that II will
not be long after April next when
tho FIRST OF tho married men Will be
called TO the coiors. Thus far the mar
ricd men in the army have gone only
through voluntary enlistment. The
compulsory service act does not apply
to them rs yet. hut thousands have at
tested their readiness TO serve when
tho supply OF single mon Is exhausted.
Many single men, with mothers or
sisters dependent upon them. arc max
Ing tho claim that their domestic duties
Ing OF the nations consideration as
those OF tho married men. They mako
Tho further plea that their family oh
legations imposed on them
through no ac, OF their own. whereas
tho married man assumed liability for
others through voluntary choice.
III am to DC called away from tho
support OF my widowed mother and
three dependent sisters" said one
young clerk. II Will be followed by the
thought that they must eventually so
TO the workhcusc. and am sure that
under the circumstances would not
make a very good soldier for tho King"
The tribunal thought Otherwise.
PLEAS OFTEN MADE:
ny EMPLOYER HIMSELF
Exemptions arc sough, upon the
theory that the applicant is "indis-
pcusable" TO the conduct Of the bust
pcss in which he is engaged. Often
the pleas made by the employer,
who himself is beyond military age.
This clerk manages my entire bust
ness. and Is absolutely Indispensable"
said one employer To the tribunal at
I.cwisham.
And what ito you pay him." asked
,bc chairman
seventeen shillinrs. SIX pence -,
week"
The tribunal held that absolute in
dispensability" was worthy OF higher
consideration than 81 week, and the
clerk was swept into the army.
one employer appealed for the exemp-
ZION OF an artistic sign painter"
In such time OF stress as this.
think the country can get along with
fnartistic signs" ruled the chairman.
At Liverpool an undertaken claimed
tribunal told him 10 "R. I. p" for six
months. After that he must join the
army. where there is much work to
lie done by those skilled in the burial
Of the dead
The Lord Mayor OF London. an en-
thusiastic worker for recruits. applied
10 the London tribunal for the cxemp-
ton OF "A footman employed At the
Mansion House. The application said
ii was in the national interest that
Mansion House arrangements for re-
Cruiting the public work generally
should not be disturbed. Sir T. Vezey
Strong the chairman, thought a post
ponement OF odc month sufficient TO
allow the Lord Mayor 10 make other
arrangements.
\ widow OF renSc obtained :. three
months respite for her eligible son on
the ground that he was indispensable
10 the conduct OF her small laundry.
He calls for and distributes the
laundry, said she, and does more
ironing than any two women
The tribunals face their greatest diff
hculty in dealing with the agricultural
districts. Some farmers have gone to
the extent of threatening to abandon
their farms entirely IL not allowed suf-
.icicnt help. The tribunals now have
adj fc1 .n1i ,f
men to each 100 acres OF farmland In
the meantime hundreds Of thousands
OF women are being recruited for
farm work.
One young man unsuccessfulIy
quoted from speech of the Prime
Minister. Mr. Asquith. In the House OF
Commons i'm seeking exemption on the
ground that he was the sole support
of Il widowed mother. He quoted Mr.
AsGuith TO the effect that the taking
away Of the sole support of widow
would be industrious" The applca-
ton was refused when it WAS shown
there were other relatives with whom
the mother might live.
ANOTHER young man told the tribunal
it was condenning his mother to death
in sending him to the war.
'Tf ! were alone in the world |
should have gone long ago" he added
II appeared, however. the financial
condition OF the family was sufficient
:, theatrical manager was granted
three months grace when he explained
that If there were no amusemcnts "the
people would have nowhere to GO"
4 cartoonist thought himself indis-
ponsable because his drawings amused
the soldiers at the front: "the cham
nion clog dancer of the world" thought
his supremacy in that art should not
DO endangered; "the best violin maker
In England" felt he was needed at
home; popular nut Of the music
halls felt that Londons indispensable
rcvues would be failures without him;
buyer OF silks, an expert sausage
cutter" warehouse Samson" with
remarkable lifting ability, Bible
packer. all made pleas, but obtained