Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-04
GRANT No EXEMPTIONS
BECAUSE OF DEPENDENTS S
Makes Clear Position Concerning
Registrants With Families.
ONLY DEFERs INDUCTION
Reconsideration Designed to Insure
Calling Those Without Depen-
dents First-Order Others Out Be-
fore New Drafts.

WASiIlNGTON. December 3.-No man
will be granted exemption from the
draft because he has dependents.
In review OF the situation as affect
ing registered men. Provost Marshall
General Crowdcr made that plain to-
day He clearly and concisely defined
the governments position in the fol-
lowing words:
War must bring Inconvenience and
sacrifice TO all. The selcctive service
law cXcmpts no person from military
service on the ground OF dependency.
The rcclassilcation scheme is designed
TO defer the induction into the army
Of rcgistrants upon whom other per-
sons are mainly dependent for support
unti! after persons without actual de-
pendents have been called
Despite the. agitation In congress
sional anu other goverameate J. circles
TO bring under the draft the class of
men who have reached the age of
twenty-one since June } last and 10
make accessible the classes OF twenty
and nineteen years of age. thus guar
anteeing the practical exemption of
married men with dependent families.
ii was indicated officially to-day that
the War Department would oppose any
extension OF the draft until the pres
cnt registered men have been used
up"
To bring in one OF more new classes
would completely upset the present
machinery and the new classification
both OF which were carefully prepared
end worked out. il was stated. For
example. each registered man now has
4 number and a position Oh the lis,
subject to call
BRINGING IN ANOTHER CLASS
ENTAILS NEW REGISTRATION
To bring in a new class would en-
tail new registration for that class.
and then. under the present machinery.
II would be practically impossible 10
arrange just method OF distributing
the newcomers in reference 10 liabil-
ity TO call.
The practical decision of the War
department TO oppose any attempt
TO extend the draft age makes il
necessary that the army be built up
out of the men already registered and
practically guarantees that the present
list of approximately 100000 will be
exhausted before any new classes are
called in. The length OF the war is
thereby made the determining factor
Of when the married men shall be or
dercd out
In his review of the situation, which
is in reality a foreword to the re-
classification under the QUESTIONABLE
system which becomes effective Decem-
Der 10, General Crowder says:
The great problem of the classifi-
cation Of the man power Of the ma.
ton is upon us.
The military needs of the nation re-
quire that there be provided i'm every
community list OF names of men who
shall be ready to be called into service
at any time. Tho economic needs OF
the nation. while deferring to the para
mount military necessity. require that
men whose removal would interfere
with the civic. family. Industrial and
agricultural institutions OF the nation.
shall be taken in the order in which
they can best be spared. For this rca-
son the names Of all men liable 10 Sc
lection are to be arranged in five
classes in the inverse order of their
Importance to tEe economic interests
Of the nation. which include the main
tenance Of necessary industry and
agriculture and the support OF the
dependents.
EXEMPTS NO PERSON
ON DEPENDENCY GROUND
Section of the selcctivo service
law cxempts no person from military
service on the ground OF dependency
The present scheme is devised, by the
creation of several classes, arranged
in the order of their availability for
military service, to defer the Induction
into the army OF reRistrants unon
whom the persons are mainly dopen-
dent for support until persons without
actual dependents have been called.
while an actual dependency must
be established before any kind of dis
charge can he granted, there arc GER
tain conditions of dependency which 1t
is advisable to recognize to a fuller
extent than others. The present class.
ihcation Is designed to afford the maxi
CONTINUED on Fifth Page.)