The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-26

other relatives of the wife or nus
band arc able, ready and willing, ade-
quately to support the Rife and chill
6ircn, II any. duf4ng the absence OF
the husband. This ruling was re-
epOnsiye TO n class OF cases that han
been brought to the attention of TINS
Office where claims OF discharge had
been made on the ground OF depend
ency on husband who. as natter
OF fact. was not dependent upon him.
self. The ruling directed the atten-
ton OF local boards to the FAY tnaI
scrutiny of cases Of this kind might
disclose that no discharge was al
visable.
at was not intended that para
rraph r 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
The Distinction.
General crowder explained this par
agraph at length:
.It means" he said, that IL man
has been dependent for the support
of his family. not on his own eror.s
and labor, but on the assistance whlcn
was given him by his own or his wlte
parents, he will not be subject 10 ex-
emption. But IL his wife and his
children. II any, are dependent upon
his own earnings for their support,
whether either has parents able TO
support the wife and children, he
will be discharged,
.Tt must be understood, however.
that this does not apply II part OF ms
income on which he supports his wife
| and children is derived from con-
tinuinR source--that is. legacy, an
! estate, land holdings. stocks, BOMBS or
similar holdings. the income from
which would continue to flow In TO the
wife during his absence and ade-
/ ouately support her The same IS
true " she has such a source of In
. come.
But II the livelihood Of the wo-
man and children. IL any, depends
| entirely or principally upon the mans
earnings, ne Is subject TO discharge
the remaining paragraph of the
bulletin is a defense OF the rulings OF
tho local boards to date and In ex-
s1yy.e*xzS .ssas st~.t - ,hssSdc, tNs ysaSstfv
and review such rulings. In view OF
the presidents new Interpretation OF
the law It follows:
4-Instances In which local boards
have been In error In respect to these
two classes are rare. 1t was to be
expected that, with some $500 local
boards, there would be some lack OF
uniformity Of decision in this regard
To provide against this lack OF
uniformity. section ~ Of the regula-
tions provides for the automatic ap-
peal OF all dependency cases to the
district boards District boards should
scan the decisions Of local boards on
questions OF dependency, and wher-
ever II appears that such decisions are
illegal Gas in the two cases just men
toned. or otherwise). or where these
decisions seem to be so far ununiform
as to result in an unequal operation of
the law the district board should re-
verse or modify the decision OF the
| local board.
simultaneously with his letter to
Secretary Baker directing the rein
terpertation Of the law. the president
| again wrote to Senator Weeks thank
| ing him for directing attention to the
inequalities which had occurred,
The presidents action today will
| force the reopening OF probably thou
sands OF cases by the district boards.
The probable effect Of the change Will
! be to further delay the mobilization
Of the national army
An order issued by General Crowder
this afternoon calls for only per cent
OF the first draft on September I. in
stead of 30 per cent. as originally
summoned. Forty per cent are called
on September 10. 40 per cent on Oc-
tober 8, and the remaining IL per cent
as soon thereafter as practicable.
Only white men are to he included In
the first per cent called.