Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-03
No Class Exemptions, and
Each hdioidual Case
Must Be Decided on
Its M Merits.


gated the regulations to govern exemp-
tions from military service. In the
order in which they must, come, there
are three steps In the organization
process Of the national army as pre-
scribcd by Congress. They arc regis
tration. selection and exemption. The
first step has been carried through.
The regulations issued to-day cover in
detail the operation of the third step,
exemption.
Information concerning the second
step in the series Is still lacking, and
officials are guarding closely the
method by which selection is to be
applied.
The exemption regulations announced
that the boards will be advised Of the
selection process later. although none
of the steps prescribed except the or
ganization of the boards can be car
ricd on until the selection machinery
has furnished the names Of the men
of whose fitness and desira bility for
army service the boards are TO judge.
There is one hint as to how the Sc
lection machinery is to work.
SELECTION PROBABLY
WILL BE BY NUMBER
ne local DOdTds are QlreCted upon
organization TO take over from the
registration precincts the cards and
lists of the men registered on June 5,
and as their first duty to provide
serial number for each registration
card This has given support TO the
belief that the selection is to be by
number. Reports were current recent
ly that the selection drawing was to
be made in Washington.
Presumably the process of selection
will be announced only a short time
before it is put in operation When
that will be is not known September
has been the tentative date set for
calling the $4,000 of the first contin-
gent to the colors for training Prog
rcss with the construction of the six
teen divisional cantonments for the
troops will govern the action. It is
believed there will be no serious delsy
The exemption process will not take
great deal OF time. 1t is difficult to
calculate the time the local boards will
need In passing on the cases that come
before them. The regulations provide
that decision in any individual case
shall not be delayed more than three
days by the local board. or an addi-
tional i've days where appeal Is taken
to the district boards. The whole rro-
cess probably can be carried through in
less than thirty days.
WAR DEPARTMENT
FINDING OFFICERS FOR FORCE
While these steps are being carried
out for getting together the men of
the national army, the War Depart
ment is making progress with the even
more difficult tack of finding officers
for the force. Part of these will como
from the sixteen officers training
camps. The nrst 10000 of the 40 Ooo
men at the camps will be selected for
commissions In the first increment of
the new army. That is less than half
the number OF officers necessary. The
war department approved to-day
recomm endations of commanders Of
regular regiments which will commits
sion 5000 or more regular noncommis-
stoned oficers to be captains or lieu
tenants in the first e25.00o of the ma
tional army. II is understood that
more than fifty men from each reei-
ment, in addition to those now at the
officers training camps. will be given
commissions for the period OF the war.
a trained ana experienced regular off,
national army. To aid him he will
have several other regular officers ex-
perienced in particular lines; such as
his adjutant. at least one major, his
ordnance and quartermaster officers.
and some others. The remainder of
the officers will come from the reserve
lists. the training camps or the ranks
of the regular service.
RE(:IrI,ATInNS Ann 4
TO TERMS Of DRAFT LAW
Exemption regulations add little to
the terms of the draft law, the uues-
tion of whether man between the
ages of twenty-one and thirty Is en-
titled to exemption because Of depen-
dents. the nature of his occupation or
physical unfitness being for the boards
to decide after proper investigation
II is made very clear, however. that
there are to be no class exemptions.
and that each individual case must
be decided upon its merits. The local
boards-one for each county of less
than $4,000 population or city of 30,-
600. with additional boards where
necessary for each additional $4,000
population-will pass upon claims for
exemption except those based upon in
dustrial or agricultural occupation. sub
ject to appeal to the district boards.
All cases involving agricultural or in
dustral exemptions will be passed
upon by the district boards-one for
each Federal judiciaP district-which
will also decide Appeals from decisions
of the local boards.
DATE WILL BE SET SOON
TO MEET AND ORGANIZE
In the near future date will be
set by Brigadier-General Crowder,
provost marshal general. for the meet
ing and organization of the boards
At the same time it is expected that
the regulations will be promulgated
so that the process may be p" under
way without delay. The present in
tention is to call the men selected to
the colors about September /. or as
If,apt iriIed Sacorad \