The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-06-08
GENERAL CROWDER 'QUIETS WILD RUMOR .OF MILLIONS OF EXEMPTION CLAIMS Provost Marshal Issues Statement Saying This
 Merely Means Questions Answered on Cards EVERY CASE WILL BE GIVEN CONSIDERATION ON INDIVIDUAL MERIT Reports from Seven States and District of Columbia
 Show Totals Slightly
 Under Estimates

Washington, June T.-Registratiou returns came in slowly today and to- night from Tuesdays great military census, preventing anything approach ing a conclusive estimate as to the number of men actually enrolled. An official statement today, however, said such complete returns as were at hand indicated that the 10,2O0,o00 estimate of the census bureau for the total number of men within the prescribed ages would not be equaIed.
 A feature of the few complete re- turns is the high percentage of in dicated exemptions, averaging appt imately 50 per cent of the total istration. Officials pointed out, ever, that this did not mean ac exemption as the indicated figures cluded all married men and thosc executive,A Judicial or legislative flee. Until exemption regulations H been promulgated, it will be imi# sible to say how many will be mar s off the military rolls.
 The one conclusive result of the < istration that cannot be altered in slightest degree by any possible va } ton frons the estimates is that lions of young Americans have pu their names claiming no exempt and stating norreason for release war service.
 AS TO MARRIED MEN
 In regard 10 the married men, s retary Baker said today that in the letters he had received on subject of exemption not one suggested that marriage should tablish @ class exemption. He adN31 that it was not the purpose of the e< partment to make such ruling, at1 that individual cases would be de with on their merits. no matter waA< the reason for exemption might be
 The secretary, who was out of VI
 ts ea f a7's vrrN sHtG6sg assse assr sa ss{ts ls1yesfn esrepsed hsH N ston 1T tHS wo ssHe nv
 munIclps,l officials. 4- el-sE izf ts<& AN had been "a spectacular demonstra- ton" of the solidarity of the Amer ican people and of their high patriot ism. <
 MT. Baker thinks git will be some time before the regulations govern ing exemption are!issued. They are in process of formulation by a commit tee headed by General Crowder.
 The complete working out of these reg ulations and the appointment of exemp- tion boards, the secretary said, will pre- cede the issuance of regulations to govern the selection of men for examination. He had no comment to make on the selec- tion beyond the statement that a fair system would be adopted.
 EXEMPTION BOARDS
 Exemption boards probably will be To- calized as much as possible to make 1t easy for selected men to get to the place of examination without difficulty.
 Officials generally said the fact that the few states which had sent in their complete figures at a late hour showed with two exceptions a falling off from census estimates for total registration should not be taken as indicating any great number of evasions. All reports from department of justice agents and others tended, on the contrary. to show that there was a surprisingly small num- bers of skulkers
 Total figures from seven states and the District of Columbia reported when the
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