Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-09-20
NEW RULINGS ON
DRAFT EXEMPTIONS
Only Appeals Taken to President
Must Concern Agricultural
Employment.

Montpelier, Sept. 19.-The following
order has been issued from General L. s.
Tillotson's office relative to the local board
work of Vermont:
Montpelier, Sept. IS, 1917.
Memorandum No. 40.
To Local and District Boards
The following information. received
from the office Of the Provost Marshal
General, is published for the guidance Of
all concerned.
APPEALS TO THE PRESIDENT.
C.) No evidence or statements Of APP
peal to the President will be considered,
except such as has been presented to the
district board. Discussion Of evidence and
statements concerning pending cases
which comes from other sources is for
hidden. Industrial and agricultural claims
for exemption are within the original
Jurisdiction Of the district board. and the
decision of the district board is final, ex-
cept that the President may affirm,
modify. or reverse such decision, in ac-
cordance with Regulations prescribed by
him. While the regulations prescribed
by the President provide for appeal from
the decision OF the district board on
agricultural or industrial grounds, the
claim for appeal must be filed with the
district board. who will send all evidence
and other matter in the case to the Presi-
dent for his consideration. II, after the
decision Of the district board. IT is de-
cided to submit new matter, the district
board may reopen the case, consider such
new matter. and II it adheres to its
original decision. forward such new mat
ter to the President. Matter not present.
ed to the district board annot be con-
sidered on appeal to the President.
INhiA ntctrtak nAarla 4n 5000
the function in passing on claims, and
the function Of the President in exam
lining their decisions is quasi judicial.
The President a directed the war de-
partment to decline to discuss cases pend
ing on appeal, or to entertain any COM
munications, suggestions, or additional
evidence or statements concerning them.
1 2. No appeal can be taken to the Presi-
dent except in claims for exemption or
discharge based on engagement in agri-
culture or industry.
The administrative authorities in Wash
ington have been forbidden to address
themselves to particular cases within the
jurisdiction Of local boards.
All claims for exemption except on the
ground of agriculture or industry may
be appealed from the local boards to the
district board, whose decision in these
hhoeeCAo 40 iio AuCEo Cdu NC HO dppcdl
on any claim from a local board to the
President. n there can be no appeal
from a local board to the district board.
TIL only cases in which there Is a right
of appeal to the President are cases OF
claims for exemption or discharge baseo
upon engagement in industry or agricul-
ture.
II a local or district board Is in doubt
as to a particular case. II may apply ia
the governor Of the State for informa-
ton concerning the meaning Of the law
and II the Governor cannot answer the
question from information at hand h,
will request instructions from Washing
ton.
An individual who believes that a loca
or district board has enormously in
%terpreted the law may call the attention
Of the governor Of the State to the case
and where it Is clear hat the board
in error. the governor may inform tn
board Of the law. n request It to re
open such case.
Administrative authority will not ad
dress itself to particular cases which ar
within the jurisdiction Of local boards
for the reason that II one case is to b
opened in this manner. then all should be
and this would be impossible.
1t is requested that wide publicity b
given to the contents Of this memoran
dunn.
BY direction of the governor.
LEE. 8. TILLOTSON.
The Adjutant General.