The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-08-15
4. "a "A ~
MANNED NEWS DRAFT sTATUsl

MARRIED MEMS DRAFT STATUS
Under supplemental rulings by the
provost marshal general the number
Of married men drafted for the army
, 10y is,.ss.ly Sue, but probably will not be ma
terially Increased. From the first a
married mans claim Ito exemption
rested on absolute necessity that he
remain in his present employment to
care for his wife or children, but the
original assumption was that any
husband whose wife depended on him
for support would not be taken. Nee
essarily questions have been raised as
10 just what degree OF dependence
WAS required to warrant exemption.
It sis upon the finer phases OF these
apAsfiOns that some new light has
been thrown.
Under new supplemental ruling
married man cannot successfully
claim exemption if his own parents
or the parents Of his wife are Wiling
to Took after her support while her
natnral supporter is fighting for his
country. The right to exemption also
disappears in the case of a married
mah whose employer has generously
offered to keep him on the payroll at
his regular salary while he is serving
7 infheS army. A ythicd ruling carries
the principle still farther. In the case
of q married man who supports his
famiiy on land owned by himself ex-
emptiOn is held to be unnecessary If
the land can be rented to such good
advantage as to support the family.
JtAis obvious that if the exemption
authorities could get at the exact facts
II the case of every married man who
aprlies for exemption no inconsider-
able number of surface exemptions
might be lost by the application OF
4 These rulings. AS a matter OF fact 1t
is slikely few exemption boards will at
tenpt to apply the strict letter of the
INV; Us now laid down by the provost
marshal general. Under the theory of
the Heiective draft the married man is
not exempted through consideration
for his domestic relations. The exemp-
tion Isl based on grounds of public
economy alone, As the government
I must prvoide for the dependents Of
\ SolAiers who are not paid enough to
care for them, it plainly is sound econ
omy to take for soldiers only those
whose selection will not, burden the
government with the support OF their
1Amllies. A reasonable application OF
Ehe principle would he one in which
~ cases of doubt were resolved in
MSor of exemption. Under such an
application most men who can show
that wife or child depends upon
them for support are unlikely to be
asked to prove that other relations
would not be willing to assume the
burden. Men are drafted by death
every day without provision having
been made for the care of dependents.
Somehow or other they are cared for,
relatively few at the expense OF the
public 1t probably is not the inten
4 tion of the war department to provide
h9hting material in Europe by fore
Ing such family sacrifices as are
made in the face Of such emergen-
Giles. 1t would be difficult for local
exemption boards to enforce such
policy II it, were desired
Reports from various quarters are
to the effect that many married men
are waving exemption and cheerful
~ presenting themselves prepared to
answer the call of their country. No
Doubt most of those who can go with
out hard ship, to their families will not
put the exemption authorities to the
trouble of uncovering concealed free
dom from responsibility. 1t will be: