The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-10-12

exempCl0n, mi IS looking
about for a~renter and for a pur-
chaser for his livestock. Many other
cases of the same sort, but with
smaller tracts of land, are reported.
A letter written by President
Wilson to Congressman Shouse was
made public August 80. Congress
man Shouse had written the presi-
dent, urging that all men who were
engaged in agricultural pursuits on
March 1 last, should be exempt from
the draft. The president, in his re-
ply. says:
81 realize the very great import
ance of the matter you breach. I can
not see my way however, to making
so wide and sweeping a class exemp-
ton as you suggest. I fear that
class exemption will lead to many
difficulties and to many heart burn
ings, much as I would like to see all
the genuine farmers left at their
indispensable labors."
Remain Until October /.
Included in President Wilson's
letter is a quotation from General
Crowder's ruling, to the effect that
arrangements would he made for al
lowing drafted men to remain on
the farms until October 1.
There is, Of course, very strong
pressure being brought to bear to
exempt men in various occupations.
While in Washington recently, we
were told that one steel manufac-
turer, who is making munitions and
steel for ships. and who is employing
$4,000 men, had called upon General
Crowder and demanded exemption
for some 10000 or $4,000 of his
men who had been drafted. He was
refused. Apparently, exemptions are
being granted only in very excep-
tional cases, and none will be grant
ed to farmers merely because they
are farmers. The fact that the TAX
ing away from the farms of so many
active, young farmers will very ma
terially decrease production is not
given consideration. We are singu-
larly blind to the experience of Great
Britain in this matter. Our people
seem anxious to learn, from the ex-
perience of our allies in those things
which have to do with fighting, but
close their eyes to>Eheir unfortunate
economic experiences.
Adjust Themselves.
Apparently, the only thing for
farmers to do is to adjust them
selves to this situation and plan their
farm work next spring accordingly.
We have received, recently a num-
Der of letters from subscribers, who
ask as to whether it is constitutional
to draft our young men for service in
foreign countries.
We think this matter was fully
considered by congress before the
passage of the law, and nothing is
to be gained by raising the question
now. We must win this war. 1t will
be much easier to win, if we send
our boys across the sea to fight with
the British and French, than if we
wait until the man-power of these
two nations is worn down to a point
where they may be defeated. If that
should happen, the entire burden OF
the wal would rest upon. US. Now
that we are in it, the wise thing to
do is to get our men into the bat
tlefeld just as quickly as we can give
them adequate preparation for THE
work and make the arrangements
necessary to keep them supplied with
food and munitions and equipment.
America Must Win.
None of us like to have u boys
sent across the sea. The editor Of
Wallaces' Farmer can share fully in
the feelings of other parents in this
matter, because one of his W boys
has been in the army for some
months, and both the others are wait
ing their turn. AS we look at it, it
is simply a question of fighting
where we can fight best and most
effectively; and the opinion Of u
military authorities appears to be
that we should by all means get our
:men over to help u allies. !
Let US keep our minds on the big
thing-winning the war. To do that
quickly, we must act as one. This is
no time to permit half-hearted folks,
or those whose sympathies are with
the enemy, to distract u attention
with legal bubbles.
- --D--"