The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-10
BOARD READY TO
HEAR STORIES OF
FALSE CLAIMS TO
gain EXEMPTION
Justice Birdzell Declares
Body Ready To Review
Draft Cases
UNIQUE CLAIMS
ARE BEING MADE
Total of 279 Men Have Now
Been Certified To Cass
County

Bismarck, N. D., Oct. 10. - ANY
evidence upon which charges of ir-
regularities in obtaining exemptions
or discharges from the district board
may be based will be most welcome
ly received" said Associate Justice
Luther e. Birdzell, chairman of the
North Dakota state exemption board,
today in discussing charges brought
by the Loyal Legion of Grand Forks
county and other patriotic organiza-
tions.
I'VE have proceeded very careful
ly, said Chairman BirdzeIl, "and we
have not found anything which even
limited Of irregularity in any Of the
claims upon which we have passed
or In the affidayits accompanying
them. The board has full power to
revoke discharges at any time, and
1t has done this in a large number
OF cases in which additional evidence
has been submitted. wish TO assure
any citizen Of any county in North
Dakota who has any proof in his
possession that there has been any
thing improper in connection with
the procuring of discharges from this
board that his complaint will receive
prompt, careful and courteous con-
sideration."
Records Are Open.
All Of the records of the district
board have been open at all times to
the press. So far as can be learned
there have been no star chamber
sessions. Today a reporter was urged
to remain in the board room while
three sets Of claimants from different
parts of the state were heard. The
cases all appeared on their face TO
be worthy of favorable consideration,
but in each instance the board had
already denied a discharge, basing
its action upon a more complete re-
port on all phases on the case. All
of the affidavits filed in support of
claims have been placed at the dis
posal Of the press, and reporters aft
er a diligent search through the rec
ords Of counties from which the most
complaints have come have been ul-
able to find anything suspicious. The
affidavits do not appear to be made
out by any particular faction and in
no instance which has yet come to
the attention of the press has any
individual engaged in a wholesale
practice Of signing petitions for
registrants seeking exemption.
Harvey r. Habeck, cashier of the
Grand Forks Office OF the New York
Life, appeared before the board as a
claimant for exemption on industrial
grounds, setting up the rather novel
plea that his duties Include personal
attention OF keeping policy -holders
on the books so they do not lapse
their insurance, thereby protecting
widows and children from poverty
and distress" The district board did
not exempt Habeck on these grounds,
but il did discharge him on the
strength of an entirely distinct set
OF affldavits and a separate claim
showing that an invalid wife and
several other members of his family
are solely dependent on him for sup
port.
The local board had denied Habeck
exemption on his dependency claims,
and its action was overruled by the
district board. THE fact that claim
ants may approach the district board
from two different angles and often
do file two separate claims. one com
ing before the board on original
Jurisdiction and the other on appeal
is one cause Of confusion" said Judge
Birdzell. Industrial claims, coming
direct to the board, are first consider
ed. Frequently a claimants petition
will be denied on this ground, but
later the board. on considering his
appeal, viii md htm entitled to dis
charge because he has dependents.
In the meantime the board viii have
been subjected to much unearned
criticism for having denied q worthy
claim"
Had Bad Foot.
Joseph ]. Weber graduate OF the
University OF North Dakota who
had been elected superintendent Of
the Minot public schools. was held
for service upon physical examina-
ton by the local board in Grand
Forks county. He claimed no exemp-
tions and sought to enlist at East
Grand Forks. The recruiting officer
rejected him when a more rigid
physical examination disclosed the
fact that one Of his feet was slightly
Continued on Page Eight.