Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1917-07-11
EXEMPTION RULES
ISSUED BY WILSON

lUUULU III VaIUUU
PREPARATIONS FOR MoBILIzA-
TON HAVE ADVANCED AN
OTHER STEP.
Process of Selection Will Likely Not
Be Made Known Until Drafting
Time is Near.
Observation-Disclosures for the
mobilization of the first contingent OF
625,00 troops of the new national army
advanced another step when President
Wilson promulgated the regulations to
govern exemptions from military ser
vice. In the order in which they must
come there are three steps in the Or
ganization process of the national army
as prescribed by Congress. They are
registration, selection and exemption.
The first step has been carried
through. The regulations issued
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 meth
cd by which selection is to be applied.
The exemption regulation announc-
ed that the boards will be advised of
the selection process later, although
none of the steps prescribed except
the organization of the boards can be
carried out until the selection machin-
cry has furnished the names of the
men whose fitness and desirability for
army service the boards are to Judge.
There is one hint as to how the selec-
ton machinery is to work.
The local boards are directed upon
organization to take I'VE from the reg
~istration precincts the cards and lists
of the men registered on June 5. and,
as their first duty, to provide a serial
number for each registration card.
This has given support to the belief
that the selection is to be by number
Reports were current recently that the
SVlC1ilol VI ms was ~ NC NouC Al
Washington.
May Delay Announcements. !
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 625,OOO of the first contin-
gent to the colors for training. Prog
ress with construction of the sixteen
divisional cantonments for the troops
will govern the action. 1t is believed
there will be no serious delay.
The exemption process will not take
a great deal of time. 1t is difficult to
calculate the time. the local boards will
needin passing o n the cases that cosne
before them. The regulations provide
that decision in any individual case
shall not be delayed more han three
days by the local board. or an addi-
tional five days when appeal is taken
to the district boards. The whole pro-
in less than thirty days.
There were no surprises in the ex-
emption regulations. The task of pass
ing upon the individual cases is left
entirely to the local boards. While the
President reserves the right to desig-
nate industries necessary for the pub
lie good, the question of whether re-
tention of any individual engaged in
these industries is essential is left to
the boards.
In a statement accompanying the
announcement of the regulations, the
President called uDon the boards to
do their work fearlessly and impair
TALLY and to remember that ''our ar
mics at the front will be strengthen
ed and sustained if they be composed
of men free from any sense of injus-
tice in their mode of selection" The
statement follows:
The Statement.
"The regulations which I am today
causing to be promulgated, pursuant
to the direction of the selective SER
vice law, cover the remaining steps
Of the plan for calling into the ser
vice Of the United States qualified
men from those who have registered;
those selected as the result of this
process to contribute, with the reg
ular army, the national guard and the
navy, the fighting forces of the ma
ton, all of which forces are under
the terms Of the law placed in a po-
sition of equal right, dignity and re-
sponsibility with the members of ali
other military forces.
"The regulations have been drawn
with a view to the needs and cir
cumstances of the whole country and
provide a system which it is expected
will work with the least inequality
and personal hardship. Any system
Of selecting men for military service,
whether voluntary or involuntary in
it's operation, necessarily selects some
men to bear the burden of danger and
sacrifice for the whole nation. The
system here provided places all men