The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-08-08
answers QUERIES
ON THE DRAFT LAW
Major GulIiOn Has Had q
Sweet Job Wished Up
on Him.
By gibson GARDNER,

WAS14NGGONI aug. Ga PdAduS
Of Interrogation points terminates at
the Office OF Major Gullion. down in
the old land office building. The ma
jor has been made official interpreter
of the draft law-so far as the public
is concerned. He is the one man in
Washington from whom an inquirer
can get yes, or no, answered right OF
the bat"
For instance, enters the private
secretary of United States Senator
Smoot. Mormon and one Of the
Twelve Apostles:
rs Mormon missionary engaged
in carrying the gospel OF Mormonism
away from his native town, subject to
the draft law? Is he a minister OF the
gospel within the meaning of the law?
Must he claim exemption where he is
or where his home used to be-"
Another Mormon question: The
secretary Of Senator Smoot is drafted.
Is he government employe and will
he be entitled to exemption as such?"
Answer: The only way in which
he can be excused is for Senator
Smoot to make affidavit that no one
else can fill his place"
The next inquirer is messenger in
the war department, and the answer
to the messenger Is the same. II Sec
rotary Baker will approve an affida-
Wit, saying no one else can be as good
messenger, then this messenger viii!
be excused.
Enter John Smith demanding to
know: my wife worked before we
were married, she is not working now
and is dependent on me for support.
Can claim exemption on this ground,
or must I consider the fact that my
wife can go to work again and earn
her living?"
A man from Porto Rico says; 81
have a dependent wife and child; but
how am to get an affidavit from a
neighbor when my neighbor lives in
Porto Rico and 1t will take weeks to
get mails back and FORTH"
Answer: Get your local board to
extend the time for an appeal from
their decision"
Enter a man with a smile: 1.-THE
local board exempts me on the ground
that must support my wife and child.
Am l now free to make my plans for
the next year?"
Answer: mo, every case where
the local board excuses man because
of dependent relatives is appealed by
the government to the district board.
These appeals may be merely formal
and never prosecuted, or they may be
prosecuted"
The smile fades.
Enter a letter carrier: ~ suppose
there is no doubt that 1 get off on ac-
count of being in the government SER
vice. in a necessary branch of the SER
vice."
mot at ALL" says Major Gullion.
IF you get off 1t will be on the basis
of an affidavit approved not only by
your immediate superior officer and
by the head of the government de-
partment, the p0Stmaster general in
this case, or some body designated by
him to make such approval. The as
sumption is that you want to go and
fight for your country, and that
some one else can be found to carry
your bag or sort your grist."
That is the way it goes all day
long. The major is not really suppos-
ed to interpret the law at all, he is
just designated to furnish casual in
formation to governors, $50 local
boards and $40 federal boards, and,
incidentally, to take care Of the news
paper men who may want to know
things. Gullion has already earned
a promotion from captain to major,
and II he survives he will be a gen.
eral in a few weeks,