The Washington herald., 1917-08-21
TO EXEMPT MARRIED MEN:
COURT UPHOLDS DRAFT
President Would Modify
Harsh Enforcement of
Consumption Law to Ex-
empt Married Men.

President Wilson is going to modify
the draft regulations as applied to
married men.
This was forecast yesterday by a
source close to the White House
From the same source it was learned
that the Presidents ideas of how the
law should be carried out in this re-
spect will be made plain before the
week ends. probably in the form of a
letter to Secretary Of War Baker.
Fathers To Be Exempt.
The following notifications Of the
regulations will be among those to be
suggested. it was said last night:
Men with dependent children will
be exempt in every case unless they
are men Of wealth. At present, under
Provost Marshal General Crowder's S
Interpretation of the law, such men
are not exempt II the parents either
or themselves or Of the wife are able
TO take care of her and the children
1t is pointed out that the present in
depreciation OF the law creates a class
distinction Under 1t laboring men
would be exempt in practically every
instance, as their parents or their
wives parents would scarcely be in a
position to assume an added burden,
while on the other hand business,
scientific and professional men would
bear the brunt Of the rule.
Women Who Once Worked.
because a woman worked be-
Tore marriage it will not follow
that her husband will be refused
exemption on the ground that she
can go back to work and take care
of herself. The President is said
to realize that this view Of the
ruling, as now being applied by
local boards on Gen. Crowder's in
structions, works grave hardships
IN many cases. A woman's health
may be not as good as before mar
riage, and, what Is still more i'm
portant, she may not be able to
get a position Of the character
she had when welded. This ap-
plies especially to women who
were school teachers and in other
professional and semi-professional
employments. The President re-
CARDS the present situation as a
grave injustice to many women, II
IS said and is determined that more
leniency shall be shown in trans
latinG the law in this regard.
S-Married men owning their
own business or engaged in the
professions. such as doctors, law
yers. architects. etc, will in all
probability receive exemption, as
the President realizes that hard
ship not alone would be imposed
during the period OF the war, but
afterwards If these men were re-
moved from their homes and were
forced to rebuild their business or
work up another mrffcrF or legal
practice afterward. In case, how
ever, they have sufficient funds to
maintain their wives during their
absence at war, exemption will not
be granted. The same is true II
either the man Of wife has an in
come sufficient to meet her needs,
as those needs must be restricted
to the national sacrifice Of war.
Secretary of War Baker has been
in conference with the President on
a softening of the harshness with
which some Of the regulations have
been clothed by the army legal au-
thorities. Mr.. Baker also Is disposed
to more leniency in the matter of
exemptions, although he is without
authority to request it as the opera
ton of the law is entirely out of
his hands.