The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1918-11-01


France" 49," Naturally the
fact is overlooked = that Mr..
=" ,Davey's questionable, filed un-
der the SECOND draft lay makes
NO claim for exemption to which
he is entitled.'-Akron Times,
October IA.
M. L. Davey, democratic candidate
for congress, had proclaimed himself
as young, virile, rich and 100 per
cent American. Naturally there was
some general astonishment among
the voters for while $4,000 young
men from this district who We're al
SO young and virile and 100 per cent
American but not rich, had entered
the armed service of the country,
Davey stayed at home and fired only
verbal shots at the kaiser.
But when this question was raised,
Davey had his reply ready.
The processes of the draft were be-
ing invoked and Davey was only
waiting his turn on the lists, we were
informed. And he had not claimed
any exemption despite the fact that
he was at the head of a big business
and had three small children to sup
port.
This put a different face on the
matter.
However, the explanation was not
very ingenious.
Mr.. Davey did not waive exception.
He had an affidavit of dependency
filed by his wife. " z
He did get exemption and is now
in class 4-A-on such dependency
claims.
fDavey has accused his opponent
of pussy footing, whatever that is,
and Of "polly-foxing."
He ought to know all about those
things. For here is what Davey did
when it came his turn to fill out the
QUESTIONABLE and to state whether
he was or was not willing to enter
the service.
There is blank space on the
questionnaire from where the regis
trant must either claim or waive ex-
emption.
tt was an awkward moment for
Mr.. Dayey f he waived exemption
it would be good political move
and one that he could capitalize be-
fore the voters, then if he were
elected, he would be exempted any
how as a member Of congress. But
4 suppose he was not elected?
Then consideration made him
pause In that case he'd have to
60.
On the other hand if he claimed
exemption, after declaring that he
was young, rich, virile and 100 per
cent American, this might injure his
chances with the parents and broth
ers and other relatives of the $4,000
men over the district, who were not
rich, but had made the great sacri-
flee without flinching.
One might presume that the
crafty Judge Rockwell found way
Il out. Mr.. Davey's campaign manager
bad made several trips to Columbus.
He was an intimate personal friend of
Major Pealer, whom Gov. Cox had
placed at the head of the registration
work in Ohio. The governor was
grateful to Davey since the latter had
50 bitterly assailed the late Congress-
man Bathrick four years ago when
.Bathrick was an anti-Co candidate
for reelection.
In any event, here is what Davey
did.
He did not claim exemption. But
he did not waive it. He left both
spaces blank.
Then he had Mrs. Davey file a de-
pendency affidavit stating that she
was solely dependent on his earnings.
So the paper went to the local
3 draft board.
The action was unprecedented. All
the other Portage county registrants
had either claimed or waived exemp-
tion. The board didn't know what to
do with the Davey QUESTIONABLE.
In the end it was sent to Columbus
to this same Major Pealer, Rock
wells friend and Cox appointee.
Pealer sent back word to the board
that even if a man did not claim ex-
! emption for dependency, but showed
that family was dependent on him,
he was entitled to exemption. k
So Davey was put in Class 4-A.
And he will not 60 to war.
This little matter settled, he went
to his desk and sent the following
def to the kaiser:
"Peace with the high-handed
murderer of Belgium? There
can be no peace until the kaiser
and the crown prince and Hin
S enburg and Ludendorff and
their whole gang are made pris-
Oners of war. Then they must
be tried as other criminals are
tried and made to pay the full
est penalty for their crime. They
have proved that fheif- ibiedsed' :
word is worthless. "A treaty Of
peace with them would be q
hollow mockery a betrayal of
the heroes who have fallen in
the cause of world freedom. I'm
conditional surrender il the
price of peace