Bisbee daily review., 1917-08-26

many cases within the age limits fix ed by law of men who are married and yet whose accumulations or other eco homie surroundings are such that no dependency of the wife exists in fact. Plainly, the law does not contemplate exemption for this class of men.
 Can Not Be Abroqated.
 9Th eregulations promulgated on June 30, 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 dependents in addition to the fact of marriage ought not to be abrogated.'
 Partial Support.
 "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 military service, men whose families are actu- ally depednent upon them for support on the theory that the wife is able to work and should be put to the necessi- ty of going to work to support her self and children. This situation is expressed in the following opinion of the district board of New York City, in which opinion this office concurs, with the understanding that the phrase support available for relatives is support partial or total previously extended to the applicant himself.
 Wholly Dependent.
 ~'We do not occur in the view sug, gested in some quarters that in case of wife and childre nactually depend ent on applicants labor for support, and where there are no other means of support. the wife should be put to the necessity Of going to work to sup port herself and children. Bona fide dependency of wife and children on labor of applicant where in his ab- sence they will be left without reason ably adequate support, after duly talk ing into consideration soldiers wages and the support available from rela- tives, as stated in the ruling of the provost-marshal general is ground of discharge"
 This opinion clearly and adequately expresses the intent of the law in this regard.
 Compiled Rulings.
 Paragraph B, compiled rulings of this office No. 6, addressed a state of affairs where the parents or other rela- tives of the wife or husband are able, ready and willing adequately to sup port the wife and children, if any, dur ing the absence of the husband. This ruling was responsive to class of cases that had been brought to the at tention of this office where claims of discharge had been made on the ground of dependency of husband. who, as a matter of fact, was not de- pendent upon himself. The ruling directed the attention of local boards to the fact that scrutiny of cases of this kind might disclose that no dis charge was advisable.
 Executions. ..
 Tt was not intended that para graph B. of the compiled rulings should apply to the case of the head of a family whose family, at the time of his summons and prior thereto. were and had been mainly dependent upon his labor for support.
 Errors Rare.
 Instances in which local boards have been in error in respect of these two classes of cases are rare. It was to be expected that with some 4,500 boards there would be some un-unifor- mity of decision in this regard. To provide against this un-uniformity, sec ton 27 of the regulations provides for the automatic appeal of all depend ency cases to the district boards. Dis trict boards. should scan the decisions of local boards on. the subject of de- pendency and wherever it appears that such decisions are illegal (as in the two cases mentioned or otherwise) or where there does not seem to be a uni form ruling the district board should reverse or modify the decision of the local board"