New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-01
Marrying Slackers Learn
They Face Prosecution
Croder Declares That Both Man and Wife Are Subject to
Prosecution for Msdemeanor if They Married to Evade
Draft-More Than 500 Licenses Issued for Day

Trouble descended upon the hosts
Of Stacker bridegrooms at the Marriage
License Bureau, in the Municipal
Building, yesterday, and many man
who was rushing into matrimony to
avoid conscription found himself sad
died with both a war and wife.
The number of marriages performed
in the Municipal Marriage Chapel broke
all previous records--one hundred and
-four-and the rush to secure
marriage licenses continued, although
the total was not so great as that OF
Monday. Two hundred and ninety-two H.
censes were issued.
In Brooklyn, The Bronx and Staten
Island there was the same frenzied
rush for the Marriage License Bureau.
Brooklyn officials gave out lis Ii
censes: Bronx officials gave out sixty.
In Staten Island sixty-two licenses
were issued, but 169 marriages were
performed in the Borough Hall at ST.
George. Many of the slackers there had
gained their permits to wed the day
before, but had not been able TO have
the ceremonies performed. The mead
long rush did not strike Queens yes
terday. ,-
The Stacker bubble burst, however,
early in the afternoon, when word was
received that a ruling had come from
Washington TO the effect that marriage
in itself was no reason for exemption,
and that the wife, in "slacker mar.
riage" might face prosecution as well
as her husband.
In this connection, General Crowder
said:
"Section 6 Of the act of May 1S pro-
vides that amy person who evades or
aids another TO evade the requirements
of this act is guilty of misdemeanor,
and local boards are authorized 10
warn persons who claim discharge OF
the ground of marriages contracted
since the date of the act that botn
parties are liable to prosecution under
The provision if. in fact. the marriage
was contracted solely with the intent
TO evade the performance OF military
General Crowder," said Deputy At
torney General Roscoe Conkllng, mas
not at any time ruled that marriage
of itself will discharge a man from the
operation of the draft"
ain fact, il is not question OF mar
riage in any event. The real and only
reason is that of sole dependency IN
overy case. The Interchangeable rule,
which may be found in Section 20 OF
tho regulations prescribed by the Pres,
ident. is that in order for married
man to be discharged from the draft
he must satisfy his local exemption
board by positive proof that. he has
wife or child solely dependent upon
his labor for support, and this meanS
that the wife or child is solely depend
ent for her or it's support on the
mental or physical labor OF the man.
Property Income No Cause
"The support or income If derived
from property or other sources inde-
pendent OF the mans mental or physi-
cal labor will not be sufficient to DIS
charge him. !.
"Eyery local board has power to de-
eide whether every case is case OF
bona-fde dependency or whether the
claim is merely a subterfuge to avoid
military service. IL is unquestionabie
that every board has power TO investi-
gate any case where IL appears that
hasty marriage has taken p ace In or
der that n showing OF sole dependency
might be made" ,
The officials Of the Marriage License
Bureau, wig have been convinced since