Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-20
ADD DUTIES TO
ADVISORY BODY
-, BOARD in Selective Law Work
In Cit, Gets Request From
Council.
SIX TO AID MEN IN ARMS
Protecting Their Civil Rights is
Desired Through Group of
Attorneys

Island has peeR aShed ~ dSsISt men
: the service Of the nation and
,,sir dependents in protecting their
civil rights.
County Judge y. A. Larson, chair
nan of the local legal advisory
h,srd has received a communica-
ion from the national council Of
ssfense which requests that the
hoard go further than to merely
,svise registrants upon the matters
no-taining 70 their liability for
fs-vice under the draft law The
-a,uast will be presented to the
local board, composed of Judge
larson. {. L. Walker and Albert
Hnber. and tc the Moline board
.or, nosed of Judge C. o. Dietz, NJ.
NcEniry and George ID. Long
The communication follows:
The imperative necessity to re-
I;sve our soldiers and sailors from
-snxietv about matters at home is
becoming more and more apparent.
Men in great numbers in both
ranches OF the service have after
mining their camps, found that
tbeir private affairs have not been
nut in order and have consequently
been obliged to apply for leave TO
1--WE them attention and TO make
PROVISION for their dependents dur
ing their absence with the colors.
This condition has seriously inter
fered with their strict attention to
duty and it must be corrected.
Therefore,
Pursuant to instructions from
the Council of National Defense, it
IS requested that the County Auxil-
isry Committee in each county Gre
ate as another of its standing com
mittees, a local legal advisory
board whose duty it shall be to
advise drafted men and particu-
larly those not yet called for serv-
ice to assist them when necessary
to secure special legal advice. If
such a committee is already in ex-
istence in your county, you should
invite its chairman to become a
member OF the County Executive
Committee.
Tc Relieve Anxiety.
The counsel and advice they will
need is such as will enable them to
arrange their affairs and to make
prcNisiOn for their dependents and
10 IAovide for the care of their
property so that when the final call
comes they will be relieved of all
anxiety on that score.
furthermore, the 10000 men
now under arms and their depend
ents need legal advice to protect
their civil rights and to avail them
selves of the benefit of war emerg-
ency legislation.
1t should be clearly stated that
such services are offered free from
charge of any kind
The provost marshal general has
created in each state permanent
legal advisory boards in connec-
ton with each local exemption
board to advise the draft boards
and the drafted men as to the selec-
tive service law. This organization
Is composed Of tried men who have
proved their zeal and fitness for
such work AS the work of these ad-
visory boards is nearly completed.
their personnel is undoubtedly
available for the new work. To
avoid unnecessary duplication of
machinery, therefore, this person
mel should be taken by the County
Auxiliary Committee as a nucleus
for forming legal committees on the
plan outlined below.
Your local legal advisory board
should be prepared:
a To explain the selective sery-
Ice Law to drafted men
3 To give legal advice as TO
he benefits OF war risk insurance.
allotment OF soldiers and sailors
pay by the federal government, gov
eminent family allowance, the SOL
oiers' and sailors civil rights act
&nd other war emergency laws re-
latng 10 men entering the service
Inc home service sections of the
hed Cross in many communities
nave Information service in this re-
gard organized and in operation.
coordination with their work on
MS point should be arranged so
mat their work may not be dupli-
Gated unnecessarily. The commit
Zee should also assist in drawing
up the papers necessary to be filed
10 claim the benefits of the fore
going laws.
Z To draft wills and attend to
caring for the property and settling
eHe business affairs of men enter
ing the service.
d. To represent soldiers and
sailors in court where necessary
and to obtain for them the benefits
;" me ciF;l rights act
T. To arrange to attend TO such
BUSINESS matters as require and
Ore capable ii attention in the alb
Sehce OF men in the service
To report 10 the Red Cross
hume service section, cases requir-
.Hs feIlef which come to the atten-
uon Of the committee.
Ihefe is no infexizle rule as to
tne exact number composing each
4W'al committee. II should be made
y primarily Of lawyers. but should
include in its membership a man
y sound business judgment and a
spfesentatiye Of the Red Cross
tt,''ile service section. The mem
eiS OF each exemption board should
informed Of the scope of the
ooAiihittee's work and asked 10 CO.
9peiate. A bulletin showing the
personnel Of the committee, its
eaquarters and the address of
~ an member should be posted in
..'e oflce Of each exemption board
l1 mailed to every drafted man.
special effort should be made to
n those classified for early
isIce IN order 10 ena BILE. them to