Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-22
EXEMPTION BOARD.
GIVEN RULES FOR
APPEAL TO WILSON
FURTHER DETAILS OF RULING
ON PRESIDENTIAL PLEAS ARE
RECEIVED HERETO CONSIDER
ONLY DISTRICT BOARD EVIL
DENCE,

With several selected men in Otta'
wa and La Sale county planning APP
peals to the President, and thousands /
all over the nation making similar mp I
peals. the local exemption board has
received the following instructions
from Washington
While district boards are not courts, /
their function in passing on claims
and the function of the President in
examining their decisions is quite ju
dicial Since the rule must be that
nothing which was not presented to
the district board can be considered,
Ii must be ruled that only such state
mens or evidence as is presented to
the district board can be presented on
appeal to the President.
Communications from other sources
concerning them are forbidden,
Claims for exemption or discharge on
the ground OF engagement in indus
try and agriculture are within the
original jurisdiction of the district
boards Decision of the district board
is final. except that the President may
affirm, modify or reverse such deci
sion in accordance with the regula
lions prescribed by him
Appeal is Provided.
The regulations prescribed by the
President provide appeal from the de-
cision of the district board on agr-
cultural and industrial claims, but
the claim for appeal must be filed
with the district board, who will send
all evidence and other matter con-
signed In The case to the President
for his consideration. If. after the de-
cision of the district board. ii is de-
sired to submit new matter con.
signed In the case to the President
for his consideration. IT, after the de-
c1siOn of the district board II Is de-
slider to submit new matter. the dis
trict board may reopen the case. con.
slider such new matter, and. il it adj
heres to its original decision, forward
such new matter to the President.
Outside Appeals Barred.
Matter not presented to the dis
trict boards cannot he considered on
appeal to the President, as 1t would
khc .,,1,,t 10, H., N,rst ~ Ln La,
and in violation of the judicial func-
ton that is being executed to make
exemptions in individual cases, and
to receive suggestions urging, or
statements concerning, particular
cases pending here on appeal
The President, therefore has direct
cd the war department to decline to
discuss all cases pending on appeal.
or to entertain any communications,
suggestions or additional evidence or
statements concerning them.
No Dependency Appeals.
No appeal to the President will be
considered except in cases Of indus
trial or agricultural engagement The
administrative authority at Washing
ton is forbidden to address itself to
particular cases within the jurisdic
tion of the local boards.
Exemptions and discharges from
draft on all grounds except engage
ment in industry and agriculture are
placed within the jurisdiction of local
boards
From the decision Of local boards
in these cases is right of appeal to
the district board, whose decision in
such cases is final There is no ap-
peal from the decision OF q local board
to the President nor is there any APP
peal from the decision of the district
board on a case appealed to district
board from local board.
Appeal Cases Limited.
The only eases in which there Is a
right to appeal to the President are
cases of claims for exemption or dis
charge based upon engagement In in
dustry or agriculture. It would be
practical impossibility for the adj
minstratve authority to attempt to
scan the decisions of local boards in
the millions Of cases that are before
them If the local boards
have made mistakes in individual
cases resulting in hardship, there is
an appeal to the district board
Also both local and district boards
may reopen cases in which they are
in error up to the time the claimant
is actually ordered into military serv-
ice. II local or district board is in
doubt az to the meaning of the law
It may appeal to the governor OF the
state If the governor cannot answer
the question he will obtain the nee
essary instructions from Washington
Where it is clear that the local or dis
trict board is in error, the governor
may direct the board to reopen the
case