Weekly journal-miner., 1918-05-08
(From Saturdays Daily)

removal from office of at least tive members of the Yavapai county ex. cmption board, Adiutant General Charles Harris yesterday succeeded in causing the discharge from the board of Secretary Harry Heap mayor of the city, and Dr. John w. Finn, the physician member of the board, the order busting them hay, i ing come from President Wilson and Provost Marshal General Crowder. Sheriff Joe Young, the democratic chairman of the board, was not re- moved. County Recorder E. A. Me Swiggin was named to succeed Mir. Heap on the board, and Dr. R. N. Iooney was asked, 1t is said, to sue cept the position.
 The communication addressed to both Mir. Heap and Dr. Finn, and notifying them of their release from their respective positions, came from Phoenix, and was as follows:
 Phoenix, May l, 1918 My Dear Sir:
 "I have the honor to inform you that the president approved your re- noval as member of the local board of Iavapai county on April 30, 1918 Photographic information from General Crowder, is as follows:
 Washington. D. C., April 30, 1918. Governor, Phoenix. Arizona.
 "'Preside approves removal of Heap and Finn from Yavapai local board. Appointment of McSwiggir approved.
 "'CROWDER.'
 Very sincerely yours,
 CHARLES w. HARRIS,
 ''Adjutant General" Recorder McSwiggin filed his oath yesterday afternoon and took over his new duties. It is understood that the efficient clerks of the board, C. II. Hindercr and William Wallace, will remain with the organization for, the time being or until such time as the new organization gets the hang of the place
 A Long-Standing Fight
 The ill-feeling which has prevailed between the local board and Col Harris dates from a time several months back. Since the board took over the positions last June, the three members have been working conscientiously and getting as many local men inducted into the army as possible. Harris, 1t is said, has on several occasions attempted to inter- venc and save men whom the board had ordered into camp, and m other ways tried to exercise his author ity over the board members. The matter is said to have finally re- solved itself into a question ot whether the board or Col. Harris had the final say as to which men should go to camp, the board openly charging the adjutant general with playing favoritcs and cxcmpting his political friends and their relatives from military service.
 The matter came to head several weeks ago. The case of young ranchcr by the name of Ed Weston IS said to have prccipitatcd crisis be- tween the board and the States nrili- tarv representative. Weston first filed an exemption claim on the ground of being physically incapaci- tated and when this was turned down urged that he should not go to war because his services in agricultural pursuits were needed at home. This not proving effective he appealed to Harris. The latter directed the board to issue a deferred classification to the young man. This the board re- fused to do and notified Weston that he would have to leave for Camp l Funston on April 27th. On April 10th. following the boards ultlmatum 10 Harris that he should keep his hands off the affairs of the Navapai county organization, Harris came ur. 10 Prescott and had a wordy war with the board members. The out come of the fuss was that Harris :. agreed to allow Weston to go along with the draft contingent which was to leave the following week. The Colonel also rose on his dignity and informed the board that he intended to cause the discharge of all or part of the members for their alleged in face of the orders from the State military representa- five Heap and Finn informed Har- ris that they were from Missouri, hCurativcly speaking. and that they would like to know where he expected 10 get any authority 10 fire" them, iuasn.uch as they were working di- rectly under the supervision of Gen eral Crowder and the president him self. Harris was reminded that he could not cause the discharge of any body except perhaps the clerks or slenographers who happened to be working under him, and would Inc kindly run around the block several times and leave the Prescott board to its own devices hereafter. The gem cral told the rebclliouS members that he had already given the gate to three exemption boards in the State ol Arizona and mentioned names and { dates. The members reply to this i assertion was that they still lacked conviction that they could be sum 1 narily removed without charges be-