Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-03-23
WEIRD EXEMPTION
 CLAIMS MADE TO
 ST. LOUIS BOARD
Humorous Incidents Found In Serious Business of
 Making an Army.

1 St. Louis, Mo-, March 18.-The busi-
 ness of sending men to war is a seri-
 ous thing but according to the various
 exemption boards here, before whom
 the cases of the thousands of pros-
 pective soldiers are heard there are at times bits of comedy Altering
 through the drab routine of facts and figures.
 Examination of the questionnaires submitted by men of draft age in St. Louis disclosed attempts to avoid ser vice that amounted to the ludicrous. For instance there was the man who declared he should not be sent to Camp Funston because he was morally un- fit" He explained that several days before he had stolen sack of pota- toes and, according to his statement anyone so benefit of morals should not
 contaminate United States soldiers.
 The exemption board reviewed his
 case and appended this notation:
 "The man is the victim of temp taton and is more to be drafted than censured" He was placed in the IA
 class.
 There was also the son of one of the city's wealthiest men who sought ex- empticn upon industrial grounds. He assered he owned farm and was act i've in it's operation. It was found that his father had given him small plot of ground, but his activity in tell ing it amounted to an occasional vis- it to the place to 2 ohunting.
 Men seeking exemption because of marriage. although they had wed since the draft law went into effect, were numerous. As evidence of an Understanding" before the war start ed they submitted newspaper clippings and letters.
 A father attempted to save his son from serving by stating to the board that he would refuse to care for his daughter-in-law and that she probably would starve to death.
 One of the local boards had been troubled with the case of a Russian who claimed exemption of his depend ent wife. and three children. He ex- nlained his family was en route from Russia and was expected "almost any day" His classification was post poned from week to week until the board, believing the man was evading CiACiIls 4lbdiy SltboSCo llllAA clo 4-1A. l uC day the Russian received his notifi- cation he came into exemption quart CTS, accompanied by his wife and three children. They arrived pust in time to save the husband and father from a hurried trip to the cantonment.
 A newspaper item to the effect that bald-head'ed men were not wholly ac- ceptable for army service because they offered an obvious target for Teuton sharpshooters was the foundation for a popular excuse of exemption among scores of bald-headed men. Several stated they wer> certain they would always be bald-headed, because they had for years tried various hair re- storers without effect.
 Brother" cases attracted attention in many wards. These involved the of several brothers from the same family where there were de- pendents. Instances of four sons in one family being liable for service were numerous. If the parents were dependent. the boards were in all cases lenient. In one ward when three brothers appeared for classification they requested that one should be al- lowed to stay at home. The board as- scented and asked which one would stay. The question was finally settled by the old fashioned "eeny-meeny- miney-mo' system.