The Pensacola journal., 1917-08-28
New Regulations Relating
to Married Men Set Forth
In New Orders.
COMPLETE CHANGE
MANY PARTICULARS
Government Changed It's
Mind. Says Major Ander-
son, in Charge CT Draft
Tallahassee Bureau,
The Pensacola Journal

ne SHSdCOId JDuIu8I
Tallahassee, Fla, Aug. 27.- What
Maj. Edward Anderson, in charge Of
the selective draft in Florida, con-
strues to be "a complete reversal Of
the former rules for exemption in f.
pendency cases in many particulars"
is contained in kilograms received
by him this morning from Provost
Marshal General Crowder.
Major Anderson is personally glad
that this partial reversion of ruling
on dependency cases has been made,
as he has been appealed to in so
many such cases, where, to enforce
the law would work hardship, but
from which there seemed to be no
escape.
He also brings out the fact that
the nation should be grateful for a
government that is so Just that it can
afford to change its mind (even in
time of war when the change will
necessitate an immense amount Of
extra work and delay)-in order that
the least possible amount of suffer
ing be brought to the country
The telegram received by Maj Ed
ward Anderson from the provost
marshal general reverses the qucs-
ton of dependency.
The New Regulations.
The feeling had been expressed
that, in passing on claims for dis
charge on the ground of dependence,
local boards ought, in no case, to re-
fuse a discharge of married man,
or to the head of family. The law
under which local boards act requires
that, before such a discharge can be
granted, dependency as well as re-
| lationship must be Wished. The
matter having been presented TO the
president the following are his or
ders thereon:
eve ought, as far as practicable,
! to raise this new national army with
/ out creating the hardships necessar-
! lily entailed when the head of a fam
! ily is taken; and I hope that for the
most part those accepted in the first
call would be found to be men who
had not yet assumed such relations
The selective service law makes
the facts of dependence, rather than
! the fact of marriage, the basis for
! exemption, and there are, undoubted-
! ly, many cases within the age limits
fixed by law, of men who are married
and vet whose accumulations or 9TH
er economic surroundings are such
that no dependency a. the wife eX-
lists in fact. Plainly, the law does
not contemplate exemption for this
class of men.
"The regulations promulgated on
June 80, 1917, should be regarded as
controlling in these cases, and the or
ders issued under that regulation di-
recting exemption boards to establish
the fact of dependence in addition to
the fact of marriage ought not to be
abrogated."
The attention of this office has
been invited to the fact that, in few
! instances, local boards have certified
to district boards as held for mill
tarv service men whose families are
actually dependent upon them for
support on the theory that the wife Is
able to work and should be put to
the necessity of going to work TO
support herself and children. TINS
situation is addressed in the follow
| ing opinion of the district board of
New York City, in which opinion this
! office concurs. with the understands
ing that the phrase support availa-
DIG 1IOlll LCAdkANNos 10 SNPbOAh pal
tial, or total. previously extended to
the applicant himself; eve do not
concur in the view suggested in some
quarters that in case of wife and
children actually dependent on apr,i-
cant's labor for support, and where
there are no other meaes of support,
the wife should be put to the neces-
sity of going to work to support her
self and children. Bona fide depen-
dency of wife and children on labor
OF applicant, where in his absence,
they will be left without reasonably
adequate support, after duly taking
into consideration soldiers wages and
support available from relatives. as
stated in the rulings of the provost
marshal general. is ground for dis
charge"
! This opinion clearly and adequately
expresses the intent of the law in
up Paragraph "b" of Form 50, Com
piled Rulings of This Office" ad-
dressed a state of affairs where the
parents or other relatives of the wife
or husband are able, ready and will
(ConH;pued on PAGE Tyvo