The Mena weekly star., 1917-08-16
FIND EXEMPTION
 CLAUSE IS ABUSED
Marshal Crowder Says RegiStrants Are Taking Unfair Advantage of Section 2-Must Limit the Dis
 eharges--Narn Governors.

Washington. Aug. 9.-Wholesale claims for exemption from the army draft, reported from many sections, caused Provost Marshal General Crowder Co telegraph the governors of the states tonight that local boards must reduce discharges for dependency 10 a far more restricted class and according to clearly de- fined circumstances
 In some districts S0 per cent of registrants are filing claims for dis charge on the ground of dependent relatives. Such Q condition indl- rates. General Crowder said, that unfair advantage is being taken of regulations designed to protect men who properly should be exempted from military service and threatens Co interfere seriously with raising the National army.
 Warming t0 Governors.
 The message follows.
 section of the selective service law exempis no person from mili- tary service on the ground of de- pendeney Ii only authorizes the president to exclude or discharge from draft those in status With re- spect Co persons dependent upon them for support which renders then exclusion OF discharge advis- able.
 The necessity is to raise an army. It is advisable to disturb dependents as little as necessity of raising an army will permit. To this end Sec ton IS of the regulations was com piled carefully and after earnest consideration. If experience Is to prove that the generous conditions prescribed in Section IS or any abuse of them will interfere with raising an army, then it is no longer advisable Co discharge SD wide a class and conditions stated therein will have to be restricted until an advisable rule is reached
 Nothing has happened to change belief that persons enumerated in Section is could be discharged with out interfering with raising an army, but there are indications that abuses Of Section iS may render it's continuance no longer advisable
 Percentage Too High.
 Reports are that in seme dis tricts 80 per cent of persons called before local boards are filing claims for dlscharee on the ground Of de- pendent relatives Such proceed ing 0f claims when viewed in con- neelinn with all available statistics indicates beyond question thai ad- vantage is being taken of pr0yis- ions of the law and regulations in- tended to reduce to . minimum the misery at nome usually attendant upon war
 There IS q moral certainty, in 5ne extravagance of this proceed ing. that hundreds of unfounded claims are included in these totals.
 This state of affairs greatly in- creases the burden of local boards. If 50 high percentage of regis trants claim exemption only uncom- promising action of local boards can prevent new regulation which shall reduce discharges for depend eney t0 a far more restricted class and 10 necessary and clearly defined cases
 Would Nullify the Law.
 In absence of stern repression by local boards of unmeritoriouS claims this result is inevitable. since such proceeding of exemptions as reports or claims would indicate would nullify the law and prevent raising all army.
 "lt is thus apparent that filing these improper claims will react directly and injuriously on persons whom the present regulations were designed to protect and that the welfare of persons who have bona llde claims is seriously imperiled by persons whose cases are within the meaning of the present rules, lies in power of local boards to refuse eN- emption in doubtful cases.
 "It is true. cases of discharge for dependency are appealed to the dis lrict board but this is only inserted