Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1917-07-13
INDIVIDUAL MUST
SEEK EXCEPTION

VI aSllingtOn Times, the sliow-
ing article relative to exemptions
from military service, by David
"a wrence, a we'll known writer
on public questions
Publication TODAY Of the War
circular governing
rules for exemption from draft
reveals that, inadvertently OF
otherwise, the burden of claim
ing an exemption is placed upon
the individual
If man is married or has de-
pendent relatives. he must go
through the liumiliating process
of presenting excuses for exeuIp'
ton in the form of afidavit3.
MANY a man who doesn't want
to be in the position in the flu
ture of having asked to be ex-
enpted from military ser vice will
fluid himself leaving dependent
re atives to the care of the Gov
erunent rather than comprs mise
his patiotism.
The same principle was in
volved in the War Departments
ia nous question twelve, DO You
claim exemption 2 the injustice
of which was finally recognized
and it's elimination from the reg
istration card ordered by Presi-
deut Wilson himself, but not i'll
time to prevent many registrars
from insisting on an answer.
What was wrong on June sth
is still wrong today.
Uutil today it had been sup
posed that this phase of the dra Fl
question would be disposed Of in
a way that would spare the in
diyidual the necessity of ma. ing
a claim, aud would leave with
the Government. through special
cards. the initiative in deciding
whether or not a man should lie
exempted.
The remedy which has beer
Suggested is simple. Every mar
W rose nat. e is drawn is requir, d
anyhow to present himself for
physical examination to the loca
b ,ard. He should then be given
oral examination. information
being sought as to his dependent
relatives or other circumstances
that the Government will wan
to take in consideration in sc-
c-pting or rejecting an individ'
uai. Should proof Of these oral
statements be needed, afidavits
could be required, but they would
not commit the individual to the
position of asking for an exemp.
ton or anything else, but merely
supply the Government with da ia
on which to base its own de.
ci<ion.
There has been altogether toe
much emphasis thus far on ex'
emptions and ways to evade mil
itarv service. The youth OF the
Country has heard more about
how to avoid offending the flag
than how to serve it.
Originally it was argued fcl
the Selective draft, as opposed 10
the volunteer system, that many
men would come forward wlo
ought to be kept at home III im-
portaut industries. Under the
present system, an individual h as
to impress upon the Government
his own idea Of his own impor-
tance bv presenting a claim fer
exemption.
As for the individuals who d.,
not care to argue how indepens. :
BILE they are to an industry, they
will present themselves for physi-
cal examination aud having de-
clined to file claim for exemp-
ton, will be chosen for military
service to the embarra ssnent If
many industries the protection
of which was presumed to have
been assured.
The emphasis nowadays is en-
exemption. The spirit behind
the voluntary submission to reg
istration will be considerably in.
paired if many men who ough
not to be chosen for military ser.
vice because they are more me-
cessary to the domestic life of
the country are compelled to go
to the trenches. The draft then
instead of being selective will be
Any system that puts upon the
individual and not the United
States Government the init,ati Ell
Of selection and exemption mus
eventually dispirit the conscripf
md work injustice to thousand