Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-29
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PRESIDENT GRANTS AN
EXEMPTION TO FARMER
Surprise Is Noted When Chief
Executive Listens to De-
pendency Plea.

Edwin O. Sanford, a young farmer
OF Grady county. won his appeal TO
the president for exemption from war
service.
Sanford has "A wife and child and
asked for exemption on the ground
for support, and also on agricultural
grounds. The lower board refused
to exempt him. and In forwarding
his records up to the appeal board
stated HE owns four hundred and
eighty acres of our best Grady county
land and unless this is heavily mort
gagged II will safely rent for sum suf-
ficlent to maintain his wife and child"
The appeal board ratified the action
Of the lower board.
Secretary Rogers received letter
yesterday from Adiutant General An
Gel carp, informing him that he had
Just received u telegram from Provost
General Crowder stating that the pres
ident had overruled the board 's'rcfusal
to exempt.
President Grants Exemption.
Notwithstanding the war depart
rents ruling and the ruling of the
president himself that no appeal can
be taken to him on dependency
claim, news came to the distrlct board
yesterday that the president had
granted exemption to young Mis-
souri, farmer on dependency claim.
The case was that Of Edward y.
Kennedy of Nodaway county, Mo. He
took his case to the president on an
agricultural claim but In the record
were affidavits Stating that his Wild
owed mother and sister were depend
ent upon him and the operation of
their farm by him for their living.
The young man WAS exempted by
the president. according to informa-
ton received by the district board
here, because of this dependency,
Dr. Frank Matthews. examining
PHYSICIAN of the Missouri county board
which denied Kennedy's exemption.
and Matt w. Hall, chairman OF the
board. arc quoted as saying that, in
their opinion. this has been the judg-
ment of the government all along in
considering claims for exemption and
that the government specifically
charges local and district boards with
the duty of exempting young men who
have wives, mothers and sisters de-
pendent upon them.
Was Common Sense.
Frank Blake, attorney member OF
the board. wps also quoted as say
ing that the presidents ruling would
lead to the conclusion that the judg-
ment and sympathy and common
sense Of boards is demanded by the
government rather than ironclad ad-
hcrence to rules" He did not know
whether the decision means that
young men who are now in the train
ing camps whose dependency claims
were ignored could appeal TO the pres
ldent
Members Of the local appeal board
are disposed to doubt II the presi-
| dent granted the appeal of Kennedy
on the dependency claim. They be-
lieve, while the affidavits filed in the
case might have influenced him, that
he granted the exemption on the agrl-
cultural claim only If he did not. his
action may result In every district
board In The country being required TO
reopen a large number OF cases Of
men who have been certified and who
are now at the training camps.
The Tulsa board will especially have
lot of work TO do, as 1t was one Of
the most rigid boards in the entire
country In handling claims for eNemp-
tiOn.