The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-08
EXEMPTION NOT EASY.
GOVERNMENT SAYS POSTAL EN-
PLOYES ARE NOT EXEMPT,
Official Construction Of LAW Will Dis.
appoint Many Who Expected to Es-
cape Service On Claim OF Dependent
Families.


sued today by the postoffice depart
ment sho' that department officials
will make few requests for the ex-
of postal employees from
service. Postmasters are in
not to ask for exemption for
carriers or laborers or for clerks in
second class offices below the $1,000
grade, clerks in first class offices below
the $1,100 grade or any above these
grades unless they are qualified dis
tributers of mail.
The ruling is the first formal action
by an executive department in COM
pliance with President Wilson's order
directing that department officials in
dicate exemptions and that the re-
quirement of indispensability be rig
idly enforced. AS generally construct
ed the postal ruling shows the purpose
of the administration to put the gov
ernment departments foremost in
freeing valuable employees for war
service.
The entire mail carrier force, num-
bering thousands of men, of whom a
considerable percentage are within the
draft age limits, is excluded from ex-
emptiOn unless for physical reasons or
because of dependent families. Every
portion Of the country is reached by
the ruling as even the rural carriers
are included. The departments ruling
in regard to the clerks leaves railway
mail clerks within the exemption
classes. as they are highly specialized
distributors.
Provost Marshal General Crowder
took steps today to reduce the num-
ber of exemptions because Of depend
ent families. Instructions were sent to
the governors of all States pointing
out that the minimum pay of soldiers
is now $50 a month and that local
boards must consider whether
mans dependents could not be sup
.orted on that amount. The telegram
follows:
please call attention Of local
boards to the fact that a soldiers pay
is not less than $50 month and that
all clothing, subsistence, medical treat
ment and housing are furnished him.
Under the law he may allot any por-
ton of his pay to a dependent Many
soldiers receiving $50 a month are
easily able to allot $25 monthly to
the support of dependents. In case
of death in line Of duty he govern
ment will pay to the beneficiary des-
ignated by the soldier six months pay.
Section of the selective service
act provides that those in a status
with respect to persons dependent up
on them for support which renders
their exclusion or discharge advisable
may he discharged, but it does not re-
quire that they shall be discharged
in all such cases. 40
The discretion of local boardbEiD
invoked by this provision and such
boards may well take the facts recited
above into consideration i'm deciding
claims for discharge due to depend
ency with a view to determining
whether as matter of fact the per-
son claiming such discharge will not
be in as good or better position to
support his dependents after selection
FOR military service than he was be-
fore. If such is the case, Of course.
the discharge should not be granted"
Government officials generally are
beginning to take UP the individual
questions that arise where govern
ment employees are called for SER
vice. Secretary Daniels said today
that knotty problems were arising i'm
the navy department as to what in
dividuals in the clerical department.,
navy daughtsmen or skilled workers
at the navy yards are absolutely indis-
pensable.
General Crowder has suggested to
the governors that each assemble the
full mmbership of all district boards
in his State for a general conference
to insure uniform proceedings regard
ing appeals. The governors were ask
ed also to appoint an official i'm each
local district to file appeals. County
attorneys were suggested