Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1918-07-25

That John K. Shields prosti
tuted his influence as a United
States Senator to bring about
the setting aside of the selectivt
service act in the case of Johr
Vernon Verhine. a registrant Of
Union City and the son of g
wealthy and influential resident
of that place, is convincingly
shown by the official correspon.
dence bearing on the case and
read by Governor Tom C. Rye in
his speech here today. The Gov
ernor spoke as follows:
In former speeches | have
charged Senator Shields with
having interfered with the order
ly processes of the selective draft
law. For the enforcement of
this law in Tennessee, the United
States Government has devolved
upon me as Governor a large
measure of responsibility for its
execution is devolved upon a
chief executive officer. Major
Rutledge Smith, and upon divis-
ion and local boards.
The officials were selected be-
cause of their known probity of
character, and their duties have
been performed under the sane
ton of oaths taken before they
entered upon the performance of
their official functions and duties.
Whether Senator John X.
Shields tried to prevent j. V.
Verhine, of Union City, from re-
spending to his call to military
service the records made up by
sworn officials, will speak truth
fully.
The local board for the county
of Obion on April |, 1913, wrote
a letter, which is a part of the
record of the Verhine, as follows:
Union City, April l, 1918.
IN re j. V. Verhine.
Major Rutledge T, Smith.
Nashville, Tenn, Dear Sir:-We
are enclosing to you all of your
papers in the case of the above
named registrant of this county
in order that they be sent, if you
deem it necessary, to the Pro-
vost-Marshall General. together
with whatever recommendation
you desire to make, in order that
this registrant may not be taken
from this board and placed in
the Emergency Fleet Corpora
ton by Senator Shields.
''The rebord clearly shows
that political influence is being
brought to bear, and that an eff
fort at a very late hour was
made, and is about to succeed. to
keep this registrant from taking
the usual course required of
other registrants.
1.-The facts in this case are as
follows: When it became known
that this board was to send ten
men to Camp Gordon, beginning
March %, 1918, this registrant
came to the Office of the local
board, looked over the records
himself, and found out that he
was the tenth man. and that. as
a consequence. he would neces-
sarily be sent to camp, the list
of the ten men was published in
the weekly papers of the town
of Union City. Tenn. and his
name was among the number in
cluded. When he discovered
that he would necessarily have to
go, he Immediately got busy.
taking the matter up with the
Governor, whom he recognized
then as the head ,of the draft
proceedings in this state; he re-
quested the Governor OH account
of the large business in which
he was engaged at this particu-
lar time, and in order that the
sacrifice might not be so great
on him. to use his power to give
him a deferment in call until
April 10 or April Is. He was adj
vised by the Governor. that it
was only in cases where men
were seriously and actively en-
gagged in the production and cul-
tivation of crops. and that at the
discretion of the local boards.
He thereupon got busy by tele-
graph with Senator Shields. ask
ing his influence in aiding him
to get in the University of Pitts