Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-08-11
TO APPEAL EVERY
EXEMPTION CLAIM
Government Appoints Attor,
neys to Battle With Those
Seeking Discharge.
RICH MAN WANTS TO GET OUT
Those Married Since June s
Can Not Claim Freedom
on That Ground.

No claims for exemption from mill
tary service will be allowed until the
war department, thru its appointed
attorneys, has fought the case both
before the local exemption boards and
before the district exemption board.
This policy became known yester-
day afternoon when ii was announced
by both John b. Meserve, city attor-
ney, and George Reeves, county at
torney. that orders had been received
from the war department designating
them as special prosecutors for that
department. to appeal every claim for
exemption presented by those seeking
discharge from military draft service.
Mcservc To Prosecute.
AS explained by Mr. Meserve, the
order will not permit his resignation
from the post of special prosecutor,
and he is ordered to appear before
the local city exemption board at each
session, to represent the government,
and to fight the allowing OF every
claim for exemption. In the event
that the local city exemption board
does allow the claim, over the head
of the attorney. Mr. Meserve will ap-
pear before the district exemption
board on his appeal of the finding of
the lower board, and there make a
fight to have the decision of the local
board reversed, and the claim for eX-
emption disallowed.
The work of Attorney Reeves calls
for the same procedure, except that
the county attorney will appear at the
sessions of the county exemption
board, and make his appeals from
that body to the district board in the
event that the exemption claim of the
drafted man is allowed.
That a large number of the claims
for exemption which have been pre-
sented to both the city and county
boards will be disapproved was evil
dent yesterday when Secretary j. Ken
ton of the Tulsa city board declared
that already number of claims had
been presented which would be dis
approved when the board held its
first. formal meeting.
To BE Stringent.
Among the first to file claim for
exemption yesterday was one of the
most wealthy oil men of this city,
worth perhaps more than one million
dollars, who swore that his wife was
solely dependent upon him for sup
port. such claims as this, wherein
we know the facts, will not stand
when we begin to weed out the worthy
from the unworthy class" declared
one of the board members.
Another important ruling of the
local city exemption board made yes
terday and one which will affect a
large number of the claims for exemp-
tions which already have been sub
mitted, is that setting a date after
which marriages will not be counted
In the grounds for exemption
Where we find that a man, drafted
in this call, has been married since
the fifth day of June we will not en-
tertain such claim as ground for ex-
emption. We have already received
one claim in which the drafted person
was married after this date and he
went so far as TO produce affidavits to
show that previous to this date he had
given the bride an engagement ring.
This is to show that he contemplated
the wedding before the draft occurred.
But this kind of claim will not stand
up"
One of the first claims for exemp-
ton to be made on grounds of the ap-
plicant being a member of n well or
b. ganized religious sect which forbids
its members to participate in war was
that presented by Grover Pelton, age
"a. who claims that he is a member
of the Tulsa Seventh Day Adventists
church. To corroborate his ciaims
Pelton produced the statement of his
pastor. Such claims as this, il was
pointed out, will be decided by the To-
cal board, and If disallowed the men
will be placed in warlike work in
aiding the real fighting forces of the
nation.
Board Convcncs Monday.
The local city exemption board gave
no physical examinations yesterday.
spending the day in compiling the
records of the office in order that he
claims for exemption may be readily
decided and placed before the. district
CONTINUED ON PAGE EIGHT