The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-08-02
WESTERN STEARNS COUNTY
BOARD ORDERS 4eo TO RE-
PORT AT MELROSE.
EXEMPTION WILL NOT Be EASY
OFFICIAL LIST OF FIRST 1000
DRAWN BALANCE TO FOL-
- LOW NEXT WEEK.
There will be no favoritsm shown

: partments and officers
to see that only unre-
piacable civil servants are exempted
The duty of the local boards is a
grave one, and no doubt there will be
some criticism, no matter how faith
fully and conscientiously they perform
their duties. In this connection it must
be understood that the district boards
are the agents of the government and
are sworn to look after the interests
of the government, and not the men;
they must be fair to the men, but the
men must prove their right to exemp-
ton.
Monday of this week Provost Mar
shall Crowder issued instructions to
the exemption boards in which he said
in part:
"You are not a court for adjust
ment of differences between two per-
sons engaged in controversy. You are
agents of the government, engaged in
selecting men for the government and
there is no controversy. You, acting
for the government, are to investi-
gate each case and the interests of
the nation and never in the interests
of an individual There is not one ex-
emption or discharge law regulation
that-is put there for the benefit of any
Individual All are there for the ben
eft of the nation and to the end that
the whole nation may be team in
which each man shall play the part
for which he is best fitted.
Z, "Last of all, it is important to say
a word about your own sacrifice. The
place to which you have been called
is one which no man would seek save
in the performance of one of the high
est of patriotic duties. There is not
in any real sense any remuneration.
Because thousands of citizens urged
that members of local boards should
not be placed in position of per-
forming their grave duties for pay,
the regulations prove that, ordinarily,
the services shall not be uncompensat-
ed. Because it was not desired that
any man be prevented from rendering
the service by the necessity for earn
ing his daily bread, a small remunera-
ton was provided.
It is daily becoming less easy to es-
cape the selective draft by the exemp-
ton route. It was first announced
that medical students, and men serv-
ing the Red Cross ambulance service
would be exempt Just why this Should
be has never been clear to the Her.
aid. A statement given out at Wash.
ington Tuesday of this week makes il
clear that these men have no valic
claims for exemption over any Other
Individual. Farm laborers claims
for exemption will be considered
strictly on their merits.
The selective draft will make il
possible to use every man where he
can be used to the best advantage, ane
it places every American man of draft
age exactly on the same basis, which
is as it should be.
The men subject to draft in Western
Stearns county have been notified tx
appear at Melrose for examination or
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday OF
400 men to appear to make up the
next week. A call has been issued fol
quota of 1853 men to be called to the
colors from the Western Stearns coun.
ty district 1t is understood that some
credit will be given for those who
volunteered in the various branches Of
the service prior to the draft.
The question has been raised as to
who bears the expense of the men go
ing to and from Melrose, where the
examinations will be held. The men
must pay their own expenses. The
government thru the exemption board
notifies them to be on hand, naming day
and hour, and it is up to the Individual
to be there at the appointed time,
One third of the four hundred have
been ordered to appear on Monday
They will be subject to the medical
: examination first. DR.. Goehrs, the
regularly appointed member of the
board will be assisted by DR.. Hilbert
of Melrose and DIR. A. F. Moynihan
of Sank Centre. If the individual is