New-York tribune., 1918-01-05
problem for the new board. Perhaps it
will be settled by the devising of new
name less offensive to sensitive natures.
Bar Out District Leaders!

In the selection of members of the draft
exemption boards there should be one IN
flexible Don't" rule. That is: Don't
ask or permit district leader to serve"
The reason for this disqualification is
obvious. Whatever personal fitness a dis
trict leader may have for such post
(and admittedly there are district lead
ers of character and ability, his duties
and functions as the head of party
organization unfit him for serving at one
and the same time as leader and as a
member Of an exemption board.
The business of district leader is to
keep his followers in good humor, to make
new friends, to build up devoted follow
ing. He works all the year round with
an eye to Primary Day and Election Day
results. He is the one person in his
neighborhood to whom everybody in need
or seeking favors feels privileged to CO.
He gives recommendations, secures en-
ployment, helps the poor, arranges for
bail in the police courts and Is even
asked to plead for clcmency for offenders
against the law.
Custom shoulders these burdens on him
and he becomes habituated to doing
friendly turns for all applicants. His
point of view is that of man who cul-
tivates general good will and makes off,
hand unsecured investments in the fields
of human kindness. His benevolence falls
ing, for both the deserving and the unde-
serving have votes. To put man with a
heart open for all, with record for ac-
knowledgng claims of every sort on his
friendship, into post requiring absolute
mpartiality of Judgment and subordi-
nation of all personal and individual in
terests to the interests of the country
should resign his leadership, he would
still be one of the least qualified persons
in his community to administer the sort
of exact and impersonal justice which is
expected of the members of conscription
board. To permit him to remain a party
leader and to be Little Father" as
usual, to his big circle of followers and
acquaintances, while serving as an arbiter
on questions of eligibility for military
service, is not only to embarrass him in
the extreme, but to shake public conf
dence in the unvarying fairness and the
rigor of the selective system.
The wise district leader mixes as little
as possible in the workings of the draft
He is beset on all sides with importuni-
ties to use his influence to get exemption
for this claimant or that claimant He
knows that he ought not to ask the boards
to yield to political or personal press
ure. He refuses to do more than to help
to present a case fully and fairly. Then
he is through.
Doubtless there are unwise leaders who
would gladly do more than this and who
think that exemption favors may be
covertly solicited and obtained on the
same basis as other political favors. 1t is
for the draft administrators to track down
illegtimate interference of this sort and
to suppress it. And it is essential no
suspicion of the mixing of party leader
ship with exemption and conscription work
shall be created by the appointment to
the boards of officially recognized district
leaders.
This is a principle which ought to be
applied with no exceptions. If there is
district leader on any local board he
ought to be removed at once, no matter
who recommended him or who gave him
his appointment. If one leader is thus
recognized, others will have the right to
claim recognition. Then the whole body
of the camel will be inside the tent.
The thing to do now is to see to it that
even the appearance of political favorit-
ism in draft decisions is eliminated. And
it can be eliminated to large degree by
announcing and living up to the rule that
district leaders must not under any cir
cumstances, sit on exemption boards.