Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-28
Second Call Orders 40 Per
Cent Forward on September
10, While Another 40 Per
Cent Goes on. October 3

rect suggestion of President Wilson,
Provost Marshal General Crowder tele-
graphed to all governors tonight a sup
Elemental explanation of regulations
governing the status of married men
under the selective service law. No
change in regulation is made, and the
purpose of the new statement is to
clear up misunderstanding which have
arisen in what General Crowder de-
scribes as "a few instances"
In a letter to Secretary Baker. quoted
by General Crowder President Wilson
states his opinion that the regulation di-
recting local boards Ito establish the
fact of dependents in addition to the
fact of marriage ought not to be Abro-
gated" This leaves the regulations as
they are and the supplementary state
ment is designed merely to make the
application of the rules uniform among
all boards.
In his statement, acting upon the
suggestion of President Wilson for
ameliorating the lot of certain families,
General Crowder held that man ought
to be exempted in case his wife and
children were really dependent on his
not to force a wife to go to work for
herself and children where the soldiers
pay or his pay plus relatives contribu-
tions did not suffice to meet the family
needs.
President Wilson wrote that such
hardships ought to be avoided as far as
possible. General Crowder concurrcd,
but reiterated that there ought not to
be exemption in cases, for instance,
al
relatives are willing to take over the
task of supporting her.
While the statement regarding mar
ried men was in preparation orders
were issued changing entirely the mo-
bilization arrangements previously made
Congestion of rail traffic and the neces-
sity of making better provision for the
reception of the men at the canton
ments dictated the changes.
FIVE PER CENT SEPTEMBER
Under the new orders. per cent OF
the white men, preferably those with
military experience, from each local
area, will be started forward to the
camps September 5 instead of 80 per
cent. They will go in five daily de-
taehments and in equal size and form
skeleton company organizations and set
up a going concern into which the re
mainder of the total quota can be alb
sorbed without confusion as they reach
the cantoments. Only white men, so
far as is possible, are wanted in the
first increment. Men with military ex-
perience are especially desired.
The next 40 per cent of the quota viii!
go forward September 10, when the sec
ond 80 per cent originally was sched-
uled to go; a second 40 per cent will go
forward October instead of the third
80 per cent and the remaining 10 per
cent will be called up as soon there
after as practicable
Local boards are directed to disre-
gard order of liability numbers toI
some extent in selecting the first per
cent as men of experience such as
cooks and former soldiers are desired
at that time. Warning is given, how
ever, against getting into this levy by
reason of his experience, any man VINO
might not otherwise have been included
in the first increment of the district az
all.
Reasons for the change we're given by
General Crowder as follows:
In announcing the decision to mo-
Billie only per cent of the national
army on September instead of 30
per cent, the opportunity is taken
to give to local district boards the
credit that is due them for the over
accomplished in scrutinizing the
thousands of cases that it was nee
essary for them to examine in or
der to have 80 per cent of their
quota ready on September 8.
Reports received from practically
every state in the union shows that
every state would have had ready
much more than 80 per cent Of its
quota on September 8. and the vast
majority of them would have been
ready with their entire quota on
that date. This service has required
a month of the most exacting work
on the part of the boards. This
work was contaminated under ad-
verse conditions and is in large part
uncompensated.
It stands as one of the most sig
nificant expressions Of substantial
patriotism and devotion on the part
of $4,000 men selected from among
the best citizens of the country.
PRESIDENT ON EXEMPTIONS.
Following is the text of the mes
hage sent to the governors, dealing
with the status of married men, pre-
pared at a conference late today be-
tween Secretary Baker and General
Crowder.
A feeling has been expressed
that, in passing on claims for dis
charge on the ground of depen-
dents, local boards ought, in no
case, TO refuse a discharge to a
married man or to the head of a
family. The law under which local
boards act requires that, before
such a discharge can be granted,
dependency as we'll as relation
ship must be established. The
matter having been presented to
the president the following are his
orders thereon:
We ought as far as practicable
to raise this new national army
without creating the hardships
necessarily entailed when the head
of a family is taken and 1 hope
that for the most part those ac-
copied in the first call would be
found to be men who had not yet
assumed such relations.
The selective service law makes
the fact of dependents, rather than
the fact of marriage, the basis for
exemption, and there are undoubt-
eddy many cases within the age
limits fixed by law. of men who are
married and yet whose accumula-
tions or other economic surround
ings are such that no dependency
of the wife exists in fact. Plainly,
the law does not contemplate eX-
emption for this class of men.
The regulations promulgated on
Juna 20 1917 should be regarded