Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-01
EVEN WAR BRIDES
MAY LAND IN JAIL
Violate Law in Lending Their
Petticoats as Refuge
for Slackers.
MARRIAGE NO BAR TO SERVICE
Rush to Hymeneal Altar Will
Not Shield Men From
Army Service.

WASHINGTON. July a1.-Behind
the petticoats of a spouse. acquired
for the purpose OF evadlng the draft
will be no safe place for Stacker to
hide. The young men who have
thronged to marriage license bureaus
since July 20 In the fond hope that
the, government would look upon them
as exempt probably have thrown their
hymeneal efforts away.
They may even have committed
misdemeanor. and be liable TO prosecu-
tion. II this is so. their war brides
aiding them in the msdemeanor.
also will be liable to prosecution.
ost-Marshal-Gcneral Enoch H.
Crowder aroused to-day by the reports
OF throngs OF men of draft age invading
the marriage license bureaus in the
larger cities. made this perfectly plain.
He announced that by section OF the
act OF May l6 (the conscription acD
any person who evades or aids another
TO evade the requirements Of this act
Is guilty of msdemeanor and local
boards are authorized to warn persons
who claim discharge on the ground OF
marriage contracted since the date Of
the act. that both parties are liable
to prosecution under this provision. IL.
in fact. the marriage was contracted
ooiciy Will Intent 10 eNduc the per-
formance OF military duty.
MAY ASK CONGRESS
FOR NECESSARY LAWS
"If necessary" said Secretary Baker
to-day I'VE will ask the President to
SO amend the regulations as to get
at these slackers. If that is not
enough, we may ask Congress for
further legislation on this subject
The f-p a rSb hal
to-day showed it was alive to the large
numbers of exemptions claimed 1t
instructed each local board to continue
calling up men until II had 10 per cent
more to examine than originally al
lotted
The provost-marshal still believes
that ono out OF every four men ex-
amined will be liable and ft for SER
vice. but he is taking no chances OF
having the supply OF men called run
short at the last minute.
! d Tho. statement OF the provost-mar-
shaI-EeheraI concerning draft mar
riases was made in, response to the
query OF New Jersey local board
on a case In point.
Marriage is not OF itself" General
Crowder replied. "a valid ground for
making claim of discharge"
"A man whose wife is mainly do
pendent on his daily labor for support
may claim exemption on that ground.
But dependency Is a matter Of fact.
The rule does not ask: Is the wife. as
a matter of fact. mainly dependent on
the daily labor Of her husband for
support?'
only the exemption boards can
establish this fact. Where dependency
is claimed and the facts show a mar
riaVe Ia consunpated cipc> Tu1~,
90 by man whose number is high
on the available list. the actual
fact OF dependency must be closely
scrutinized"
WIDE POWER IS GIVEN
TO EXEMPTION BOARDS
1t is further pointed out that the
exemption boards have the widest
powers OF determining this actual de-
pendency. They are not bound by
legal rules OF evidence. They are to
investigate and decide In their own
way.
The law was supposed" said Secre-
tary Baker this afternoon, "immedi-
ately upon it's passage to lay its hand
on the shoulder OF every American of
the ages specified. and warn him of
his liability to serve. The men who
have endeavored to incur disability
since tndt tlme Will De most closely
scrutinized."
The instructions to the local boards
to call up an additional 10 per cent Of
their quota were contained in further
regulations issued by the provost
marshal-general to-day.
The new instructions point out that
tentative estimates say 10 per cent of
the men passed by local boards will
be discharged by appeal board or at
! mobilization camps Most of these
will be through exemption.
No board will receive final credit on
it's quota until the men are finally ac-
cepted into the service of the United
States at the mobilization camp
Boards have been instructed to call
100 per cent of their quota. Seven
days after this call has been sent out
claims for exemption received will be
filed. On data thus obtained a new
call sufficient to complete 110 per cent
of the quota will be sent out imme-
diately. The board will continue to
call men until this proportion is OBJ
tanned. The first of these last was to
create the nucleus of second incre-
ment being called. Officials pointed
! out that this is only definite re-
quisite that the boards continue to
draw sufficient men to fill the quotas
previously, allotted.