The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-10
Gen. Crowder Telegraphs
Governors to Warn All
Local Boards to Be
Less Lenient
REDUCE DISCHARGES
FOR DEPENDENCY TO
REATER DEGREE
Section Two of Draft Law
Is Being Abu ! md
Raising A s. S
Della 20 =.

Washington. A S9s ,s.-wholesale
claims for e1ep o = rom the arm,
draft, reported q many sections
caused Prov 6 arshnl General
Crowder to teIes the governors Of
the states tonight. directing that local
boards "reduce discharges for de-
tendency to far more restricted
class and to very necessitous and
clearly defined circumstances."
In some districts as high as 50 pei
cent of the registrants called for exam
ination are fling claims for discharge
on the ground OF dependent relatives
Such condition indicates, General Grow
der said, that unfair advantage Is being
taken of regulations designed to protect
men who properly should be exempted
and actually threatens to interfere seri-
ously with the raising of the nationa
army.
The message to the governors follows:
Section two of the selective service
law exempts no person from military serv
ice on the ground of dependency. 1t onl.
authorizes the President to exclude Of
discharge from draft those in a statu
with respect to persons dependent upor
them for support which renders their ex.
clusion or discharge advisable.
CONTROLLING NECESSITY
THE controlling necessity is to raise al
army 1t is advisable to disturb depend
ents just as little as the necessity O.
raising an army will permit. To this en-
section Is of the regulations was compiled
carefully and after the most earnest con
sideration. If experience Is to prove tina
the generous conditions prescribed by sec
ton IS, or any abuse of them, will in
terfere with the raising of an army thel
Lit is no longer advisable to discharg
SO wide class and the conditions stated
therein will have to be restricted unit
an advisable rule is reached.
MAY ABUSE SECTION
Nothing has happened to change thu
belief that the persons enumerated IL
section IS could be discharged withou
interfering with the raising of an army
but there are indications that abuses o
section Is may render its continuance n,
longer advisable.
Reports are to the effect that in som,
districts, as high as so per cent of per
sons called before local boards are fiji
ing claims for discharge ON the GROUND
of dependent relatives Such a proceed
ing Of claims when viewed in connection
with all available statistics indicates be
yond question that advantage Is beint
taken of the provisions of the law an,
regulations which were intended to reduc
to minimum the misery at home nor
mally attendant upon war.
MANY UNFOUNDED CLAIMS
There is a moral certainty. in the ex
travagance of this proceeding that hun
dreds. of unfounded claims are included
in these totals
This state of affairs greatly increase
the burden of local board for, If so higl
a percentage of registrants claim exemp
ton, only the incorporating action o
local boards can prevent new regula
ton on the subject Of dependency whicl
shall reduce discharges for dependence.
to far more restricted class and t,
very necessitous and clearly defined cir
CumSldHceS-
WILL REACT INJURIOUSLY
1T is thus apparent that the fling 0
these improper claims will react indirectl.
and injuriously on persons whom tn,
present regulations were designed to pro
tect, and that the welfare of persons VIII,
have filed bona fde claims under tn,
present generous clauses of the regula
tions, is seriously imperiled by person
who have filed claims without merit, ans
that the only protection of persons who's
cases are within the meaning Of the pres
ent rules. lies in the power OF loca
boards to refuse exemptions in ever.
doubtful case.
1T Is true that cases of discharge OF
the ground of dependency are appealed
to the district board, but this clause /
only inserted to secure uniformity of &C
ton District boards are to examine thes
cases to discover departures from TIL
law, regulations and rulings; and the.
will not and cannot open every case OIL
its merits. 1t is In the local boards
therefore. that the solution of the diff
ficuty and the protection OF deservin,
n IN, YotS lice