Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-08-28
HOW DEPENDENCY WAS DE
TERMINED,

Al the time Wnen the eO-cotieQ re-
classification order was issued from
Washington, we were compelled to
treat any aid which would be paid by
a city or town to the relatives OF q reg
istrant under the provisions Of Chapter
276. Laws of 1917, as part of the reve-
nue. to be considered in determining
whether his family could be main
tanned in his absence II he were sent
to war. The fact that Maine 10 one
OF the very few states In the Union
which compel the payment Of aid by
cities and towns to the families Of SOL
diers and sailors created a situation
where the generosity Of tho Legislat-
ure In this respect would result in our
proportion of class two registrants be-
Ing larger than In the average state.
This came about. OF course. because
the payment OF as much as $40
month TO q family from this source
would often make the difference be-
tween dependence and independence
and would therefore place the regis
uant in class two whore In the aver
sge state he would be In class four. II
was not competent for either the ad
1utant general or the Governor to ar
gus with their military superiors from
Washington about this regulation. We
asked General Crowder's Office three
separate times whether aid from such
. source should be included In the rev.
enue OF family In determining de-
tendency and were told positively
that II should be included There was,
therefore. nothing for US to do but to
instruct local and district boards &C
cordingly. The members Of the Maine
delegation in Washington were not,
however. under similar restraint and
made urgent representations to Gen
eral Crowder setting forth the unfair
ness OF this regulation to the State Of
Maine. These representations culmi-
mated in a letter to General Crowder
signed by Senators Fernald and Hale
on June 2lst This was acknowledged
by General Crowder on June 25th and
on June 26th as result OF this cor
tations OF the Maine members OF the
House | received the following tels
gram from General Crowder:
Instruct local and district boards
that In considering claims for deferred
classification on dependency grounds
they will disregard income provided
maintenance OF dependents while the
regtstrants upon whose labors these
persons are dependent for support are
in the military service Of the United
States
The so-called re-classiication order
had In the meantime been rescinded
and Immediately upon receipt OF this
telegram l summoned the members Of
the district boards and the chairman
and appeal agent of each local board
for q conference at Augusta where the
effect OF this new ruling was ex-
planned to them and they were In
structed TO classify their regisrants
accordingly.
II have related this history at some
length in order to make plain that the
Governor and adjutant general were
acting In every instance under def
mite orders from Washington. Gener-
al Crowder's ONCE has always said SO
In response TO any inquiries upon the
subject and those who spread stories to
the contrary are not only misrepresent-
ing the facts but are seriously threat
ening the smooth and efficient opera
ton Of the selsotiys service law. They
have deliberately exploited for their
own political advantage the natural
constituencies OF the public mind on all
matters relating to the selection OF
men for the military service, and they
have therefore earned the title Of 'po-
htici profltssr.
For we have coined the word prof
iteer' to describe the man who com
msrcialixss his country's emergency
for his personal financial gain. and by
his side We must place the politician
who risks hampering the administra-
ton Of necessary military laws for the
sake Of gaining possible advantage
over Q political opponent