The border vidette., 1917-08-04
WARNING TO DRAFT BOARDS
Told They Have Lives O. All Men in
 Their Hards.

The gravity of the task which
 faces membe of the local draft
 exemption boards is called to
 their attention in solemn lam
 guage in communication sent
 broadcast by the war depart
 ment and made public by Pro-
 vost Marsal General Crowder.
 General Crowder's communi-
 cation, mailed to all boards,
 reads as follows:
 You are entiring on a difficult
 task, the gravity of which is be-
 yond anything that can be said
 in the way of discussion. You ! realize the significance of what
 you are to do and you know that a responsibility heavier perhaps
 than any you have ever faced, is upon you.
 War demands individual sa- crifice to the common cause. No people ever approached war with calmer appreciation of that sacrifice or firmer resolve to bear it and to present them selves to be classified for service in the place to which it shall best serve the common good to call them. This calm determi- nation could not exist were it not for the confidence of the na- tion in it's institution In this particular confidence is found the very spirit of the Selective service law The most sacred rights of country. home and family are entrusted for adjudi- cation to local citizens and off cials, nominated by state gov ernors and approved by the pre- Sideut.
 "The most equitable rules that could be devised have been pres cribed for your guidance and the administration of these rules ard the sacrifice that>is offered by your neighbors is entrusted to your hands.
 From every one is demanded a sacrifice. But. here is one thought to be Kept always in your mind. The selected man offers his life. There is no | greater giving than this; and that thought should guide you always. There may be few who will urge upon you claims for exemption or discharge that, whatever may be your inclina- tions of sympathy or affection, you will know ought not to be granted. It will strengthen you to remember that for every ex- or discharge that is made for individual convenience or to escape personal loss of or property, or for favor or affection, some other man whose time would not otherwise have come, must incur the risk of losing his life.
 There can be no room for hesitation in such a case.
 Another freedom thought is this:
 "You are not court for the of differences be- tween two persons in contro- versy.
 You are agents of the gov ernment, engaged in securing men for the government and there is no controversy. You are acting for the government. There is not one exemption or discharge in the law or regula- tions that is put there for the benefit of any individual. All are there for the benefit of the nation and to the end that the whole nation may be a team in which each man shall play the part for which he is best fitted.
 Therefore no one has vest ed right, by himself or by attor- 1ey to urge, by argument or pleading, his individual case upon you. You should rigidly exclude this. Ordinarily you should act on the affidavits. If you desire more proof you may get it. But no claimant has a tight to submit other proof than hat called for by regulations or ,han that you may call for.
 ''There should be no rule like hose of court procedure; no technical rules of evidence. You should proceed to investi- gate cases about which you are lot satisfied exactly as you, an would proceed to in orm yourself about any fact I tbout which you are in doubt.
 Last of all, it is important to ( ol. |