The Mena weekly star., 1917-08-09
TO GET AN ARMY"
 IS JOB OF BOARDS
This Will Re the Keynote of District Officers, Rather Than to Be Easy With ENemptiOns-PenaltieS
 for Interference.

Special to The Star.
 Little Rock, Aug. Tt will be the policy of the District Exemption Boards to get an army, rather than to be easy in the granting of exemp- tions. In fact all claims for exemp- ton are to be most rigidly exam ined, and they will not be granted except in cases where there can be no question of the justice of the claim
 Members of the two boards met yesterday at the capitol to confer on the policies to be pursued, so that there may be a unanimity of action. the boards are constituted as fol- lows:
 Eastern District-W. J. Lamb, of Osceola, chairman; Mayor Chas. E. Taylor, Little Rock. secretary; R. w, Merriweather, Paragould, Estes Hale, Little Rock; Dr. R. l.. Smith, Russellyille.
 Western District-Allen Winham, TeXarkana, chairman; Ira D. 0gles- by, Jr., Fort Smith, secretary; Will ] lard Pendergrass, Altus: Dr. C. H Cargill, Bentonville; Henry Yccum, El Dorado.
 Gen. Lloyd England, who is to be 1 Brigadier General of the Arkansas troops, appeared before the joint meeting and urged that every legi- timate effort be put forth to secure the army. He called attention to the fact that whenever any mothers son is exempted some other moth CTS son must be taken in his place The government is making plans to | protect it's interests by requesting 1 the governor to appoint someone in each county to act as it's representa- tive in opposing the appeals and eX- emptiOn claims; investigators will also be appointed to investigate the ailidavits. Appeals from the local : Co the district boards will be an afli- davit only and no one will appear before the board in person or by at- torney
 It is anounced that penalties are to be strictly inforced The law Iprescribes that any person who shal make or be a party to making any false statement or certificate as tC fitness or liability of himself or any other person, or shall fail or neg lect to perform any duty required o. him, shall, if not subject to military law, be punished by Imprisonment ! for not more than one year. or, dt subject to military law, shall be sub- iect to trial by court martial.
 Any person or persons convicted of conspiracy in violating the se- lectiye draft law, shall be fined mol more than two years or both.
 Conviction of making false oath or declaration contrary to law shall be fined not more than S2000 anC imprisoned not more than five years for perjury
 To the district boards is entrusted the solution of one of the most vital problems of the war. Two things are to be accomplished to raise armies and to maintain industries As the war proceeds more and moro men will be required for the battle line, and yet there are certain in- dustries that must be maintained tC that end. Any considerable diminu- ton must be made, and hence it is self-evident that the problem is not absolutely to prevent interference with industry for that is impossible it is to reduce interference to 2 minimum. A balance must be struck and maintained between the mili- tary and industrial needs of the na- ton, and the necessary secrifiet must be distributed with scientific accuracy and in such way as tC accomplish both purposes of the na- ] lion.