The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-09

envy. In time of peace such complaints
war we must all stand together against
a common foe. The men on these boards
have been suddenly called from differ
ent vocations of civil life to perform
duties with which they are totally I'M
familiar.
Many hundred of cases are before
them which have to be decided in
takes; it is Inevitable. Let these mis-
takes be shown where possible by prop
err affidavits and testimony. but the
characters of. those who are thus serv-
ing their country ought to be secure
against asperSionS.
II am not referring to you or your
unwarranted gossip is heard on every
side about this case and that case by
those who do not know what the testi-
mony was what the facts are This
ought to stop and our people ought all
to pull together for the common cause"
Late Marriage Ruling.
The matter which gave, us the most
trouble during the last days Of the
CONSUMPTION was this question of late
marriages. The government appeal
agent was directed by the provost
marshal to appeal all cases where the
marriages occurred after May IS, 1917,
and were therefore open to the SUI
spicion of having been made for the
purpose of avoiding the draft
The instructions of the provost
marshal general were to the effect
that the purpose of the selective serv-
ice law was not to suspend the insti-
tuition of marriage among registrants,
but that boards should scrutinize
marriages made since May, 1917, and
especially those hastily effected to de-
termine whether the marriage rela-
ton was entered into with the prm-
airy view of evading military service
and unless such was found not to be
the case boards were authorized to
disregard the relationship so estab
| lished, etc.
Based on Merits.
Under this rule our local board de.
termined to classify each case on its
own merits. Where there were no af
| fidavits or testimony to show that the
marriage was not made to evade mill
tary service the registrant was put in
/ class one to go to the front but where
there were such affidavts or testi-
| mony he was classified according to
| the evidence.
In most cases | examined the reg
istrants personally before the board
and as a result we gave deferred
I classification to a considerable num-
Der and refused it tc others. | was,
however, directed to take an appeal
in every case and did SO.
In the examination of these regis
| trants an amusing case developed. We
were busy about some other work
when Marjorie, the clerk of the local
board. came in convulsed with laugh
ter. She sat down in the rocking
chair and could hardly speak for
| 1ai what If ALL
about. Finally she said one of these
men had Just been filing his love let
| tiers for the past two years as eX-
hibits of his good faith. Il have just
read them and they are too sweet Tor
ANYTHING" and she rocked backwards
and forwards in delight. This scence
will remain in my memory after much
| relating to the CONSUMPTION board mas
faded.
Opposed by Public Opinion.
There was a strong feeling in the
community against allowing any OF
these late marriages. For instance
! I received from the wife of one of the
drafted men the following letter:
| Dear Sir:
"As wife of one already in the serV-
ice q am glad to say this, commeno
you for your appeal of those whose
marriages took place after May 10
1917.
1T comes to my knowledge that Ger
tain ones of those. successfully evaded
the first draft by dilatory tactics. They
now file affidavits to show their mar
riage was not in haste to evade nun :
tarY service but was AFTER long tlHle
courtShip, etc, etc.
| This seems to me as Camouflage OF
| the yellowest color: Certainly you and
| the appeal board will not be deceived
| by such tactics AS President Wilson
20
| so. flimsy excuses should not go.
I'VE women and children will be
protected and well cared for II our
sons and husbands go to the front as
one and do their duty over There.
Il have given up all that l have (my
| husband) and he has given up me as
| a sacrifice and we love to do TINS II
others show the same spirit. If they
do so unwillingly they should be com
PEELED to. We cannot believe that a
just and strong government will cal
one and leave the other at home simply
on his or her statement that their mar
riage was not to evade the nationa
draft. The fact that they file such
statements is evidence that they are
using every means to evade service ant
the conclusion should be that thei1
marriage was effected for the same
purpose.
Il trust that you and tho arpea
board Will protect us who are willing
, and see to it that those men who sue
cessfully evaded the first call cal
| | though included IN the IlTSt quota, bu
who are yet at home) will not foil thu
government this second time"
: Appeals to Washington.
Her wish was gratified. The distric
board was also impressed with thu
, idea that these marriages should b.
disregarded no matter what the evi
dence might be and these men &C
cordingly were all held for service
, There were a few cases of hardship
on account of this, and l Joined tn
local board in an appeal to Washing
ton in some Of these cases wher
there was division among the mem