The Mena weekly star., 1917-05-31
MARRIED MEN NOT
 NEEDED. AT FIRST
All Such. However, Must Register and Will Be Subject tOsBraft Lat- CT If NecesSary-LOcal Boards to
 Decide on Certain Exemptions.

Washington, May 2e-A,aG married
 men will Be exempt on the first
 draft. They must register, however,
 and bs subject to service when more
 men afe needed.
 Thefe will be no wholesale indus
 trial exemptions by specified classes or occupations. While many details of the operation of the system by which F million men between the
 ages of 2l and 3i out of the nearly 10 million men who register June , will be picked for the army are still
 to be formulated, the two points mentioned above have been settled. They are embodied in a tentative list of rules prepared by the distin-
 euished committee of civilians called together by President Wilson and working on the exemption fea- lures with the provost marshal general. The conference with the higher and responsible officials, it was learned today has resulted in approval of the two major points.
 Other Decisions to Local Boards. The two questions of exemption of men with dependents and those needed in industrial work at home have proved the most difficult to work out ill a way to secure any thing like even handed justice in operation The difficulty, it is stated, of determining whether or not married man was actually needed at home was the considera- ton that finally determined the ofIi- cials to exempt all married men.
 As to the men with other depend ent relatives, such as an aged moth- CT or father, the decision will be up to the local county or city board with final decision, in case of appeal, resting with the district federal board. Appeal from the district board may in turn be made to Pres
 dent Wilson.
 No Exemption by Classes.
 The question of industrial exemp- tions, officials stated, was found to be even more difficult. It has been agreed among the officials that the mere fact a man is a farmer, muni- tions maker or engineer does not necessarily imply that he would be of more use at home than Dl the army It may be possible, it is pointed out, to spare many men from the farms and thes factories making war supplies.
 All industrial exemptions will be made by the district board, subject to appeal to the president either by employee or employer.
 The law specifics there shall be- one of these boards in each federal judicial district. An employee or group of employees may appeal to this board for exemption from mili- #tary service on the ground that Stheir work is of such character as s to make them of more value at &hOme. In the same way an employ Fer can ask for exemption of the Emen in his employ whom he believes Fare more necessary to the well-be Eing of the Nation at home than they Fare for service in the army. It will zbe for the board to weigh the evil dence and decide the question.
 The exemption regulations will Snot be promulgated until after June 5, the registration day. SO as to fause no confusion about registra- Zion.
 May Use Draft For Regulars.
 The War Department has not yet Decided whether to stop. volunteer lng upon registration day, June 3, as has been considered, and fill the Regular units up by draft, but it IS Believed volunteering would be per nitted to continue at least until the Exemption regulations had been for Enulated and the actual process of arafting the men some time in the mlddle of the summer, invoked.
 Enlistment in the national guard Since the lid has been taken off re- eruiting up to war strength has shown a loss rather than an in grease in the guard total in the last
 zen days. This largely has been zaue to married men being let out of guard regiments and to the loss Of a033 men and officers in Ohio regi- hents, where there was reorganl- Rtlon. In most states, guardsmen Nlth dependents have all been dropped so that steady gain can now be expected.
 The national guard in federal 8rvlce now totals 3,iS4 officers and ~,566 men, or only one third of the present. guard strength.