New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-28
Blanket Appeal by New
Haven Road for Its EN-
ployes Questioned
Policemen Must Serve
District Board Shows Slackers
No Mercy, Rejecting
Pleas by Dozens


Crowder that policemen and firemen in
New York will not be exempted from
military service, the District Board
yesterday decided to request, through
Governor Whitman, a ruling as to the
status of the employees of the railroads,
telephone and telegraph companies.
This action was taken by the board
after Chairman Charles +. Hughes an
nounced that the New York, New Haven
& Hartford railroad already has filed
a blanket claim for exemption of hun
dreds of its employees, and it was
stated that it was understood the In
terborough and other public service
corporations contemplated similar ac-
ton.
The particular case which precipi-
tated the discussion was that of Hugh
E. Lewis, lineman in the employ of
the New York Telephone Company, for
whom exemption was asked on the
ground that efficient telephone service
Is necessary to the mobilization and
other work incident to the successful
prosecution Of the war. A lengthy
opinion in this case was submitted by
Louis Marshall, chairman of the COM
mittee, which recommended that the
claim be rejected. This opinion, it was
decided, will be forwarded to Washing
ton with the request for a ruling.
Points to Danger
Mr.. Marshall holds that employees
Of railroad, telephone and telegraph
companies do not come within the
meaning of persons engaged in in
dustries laid down by the statute. The
words of the statute, he said, do not
refer Ito persons engaged in trade,
banking, commerce and industry, but
merely relate to industries including
agriculture" He pointed out that to
interpret the meaning so as to en-
brace all the classes would establish
a dangerous precedent and open the
way for the exemption of thousands,
thus making difficult the speedy en-
rolment of an army.
The case of Lewis and seven others
were held up to await the ruling by
General Crowder Among these were
those of Sidney P. Schwartz, a spe-
cial clerk employed by the Western
/ Union, who looks after the routing Of
cable messages, and who, according to
the application. would be hard to re-
place, owing to his knowledge of the
| British and American censorships, and
Frank H. Wright, who has charge OF
group of employees who handle
messages for the government.
! In view Of General Crowder's rul-
; ing on policemen and fremen, and
{ Mr.. MarshalPs opinion in regard tc
the exemption of public service cor.
poration employees, it is not likely
that the latter will be released from
military service in any great numbers
Woods Gets Ruling
The ruling as to policemen and fire
men was received in the form of Ions
letter by Police Commissioner Wood
from General Crowder. The proves
marshal general stated that it would b,
unfair to the smaller cities TO exemp
policemen ond fremen in those of oveI
100000 population, as was asked, anC
that only about 5000 of New York
police force of 10000 fall within tn,
draft, anyway. Not more than 300 o
these would be called, it is pointed out
and their places can be easily filled
with practitioners. If policemen anC
fremen were to be exempted, Genera
Crowder says, medical students ant
others would make the same claim OF
the grounds that they, too, are "sav
Tors Of life and limb"
Under the recently enacted stat
Fenner law, all civil service employs
will receive the difference between thei
army pay and their salaries from tn
municipalities throughout the state.
The district board exceeded its bes
record yesterday by considering 38.
exemption appeal cases and origina
applications for industrial exemption
Besides these, upwards of 100 appeal
by the government were denied IL
patches of a dozen or more. Their,
were ninety-two exemptions granted
one of these being the hrst absolute
exemption allowed OF industrial
grounds. All other industrial exemp
tons allowed have been for six month
periods only.
The exemption was the case of Rob
ert James Mckay, chief chemical engi
neer of the international Nickel Com
pany, one of the few nickel producing
concerns in the country, and one Of th'
sources of supply of the government
1t was set forth that Mr.. Mckay is thu
! only man in his company trained fol
| the kind of work he is called upon t