Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 161, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1917 — EXPLAINS CONSCRIPTION [ARTICLE]

EXPLAINS CONSCRIPTION

METHODS TO BE USED IN RE- . GARD TO EXEMPTION—BY J. A. DUNLAP.

Attorney John A. Dunlap has furnished us with the following information regarding the conscription procedure. There are three tribunals which are based upon claims for exemption from military service. In each county in the United States and for each city of over thirty thousand there are one or more local exemption boards. 2. In every federal judicial district there are one or more district boards having appellate jurisdiction over a number of local boards and having original jurisdiction of claims for exemption on industrial grounds. The location of the district board having appellate jurisdiction over this local board will be made known within a few days apd will be most probably located at some point in the northwestern part of this state. 3. Appeals may be taken from the district boards on industrial grounds for discharge to the president. These are the three tribunals with jurisdiction to pass upon all claims for exemption or discharge. The local -board of Jasper county is composed of Ben D. McColly, sheriff, Jesse Nichols, clerk of the circuit court, and a physician to be appointed, (Dr. C. E. Johnson having been relieved by reason of he, himself being within the draft age limit. This board has a list of all persons to be drawn for military srevice and arranged in the order in which they will be called. This list will be posted by the local board for public inspection. Therefore, consult your local board as to the order of liability.

As soon as the quotas are assigned to each state and each board, each board will call upon persons whose cards are in its jusisdiction, instructing them to present themselves for examination. This call will be postde in the office of the local board and the papers will be requested to print .it. A notice will also be mailed to you but the posting of the list at the office of the board will be deemed sufficient notice to charge you with the duty of presenting yourself. The law, therefore, makes it your duty to inform yourself when you are called. The mailing is for your convenience, but if the letter never reaches you, you cannot make that an excuse. You must report for physical examination on the day named in your call. It is your duty to report for this examination whether you intend to file a claim for exemption or discharge or not. , . „ If you are found to be physically disqualified, the board will give you a ceritficate which will explain to you ■what your further duties are. If you are,,found physically qualified and file a claim for exemption within seven (7) days after your call, you will be given ten (10) days after filing your claim of exemption to file proof in support of your claim of exemption. The proof can consist entirely of affidavits, blank forms of 'which may be had of the local board, unless the board itself should require additional evidence. If you are found physically qualified and file no claim for exemption or if you do not appear for physical examination your name will be posted to the district board as one who was called for military service and was not exempted or discharged. On the Bth day after call or within two <2) days thereafter, copies of the list of persons so posted to the district boards will be given to the papers with a request for publication, will be posted in a place in the office of the local board accessible to the public view and notice will be mailed

to you at the address o nyour registration card. Remember, the local boards have no jurisdiction so pass upon claims for exemption on account of industrial or agricultural reasons. The following are the only grounds of exemption passed upon by Die local board: cipal officer. , 2. That you are a customhouse clerk. 3. That you are employed by the United States in the transmission of mails. 4. That you are an artificer or workman employed in an armory, arsenal or navy yard of the U. S. 5. That you are employed in .the service of the United States (under certain conditions). 6. That you are a licensed pilot regularly employed in the pursuit of your vocation. 7. That you are a mariner actually employed in the sea service of any citizen- or merchant within the U. S. That you are a married man .with a wife or child dependent on you for support. 9. That you have a widowed mother dependent upon your labor for support. 10. That you have aged or infirm parents dependent upon your labor for support. 11. That you are the father of a motherless child under 16 dependent upon your labor for support. 12. That you are a brother of an orphan child or children under 16 dependent on your labor for support. 13. That you are a member of any well recognized religious sect or' organization and existent May 18, 1917, and whose then existing creed or principles forbade its members to participate in war in any form and whose religious convictions are against war or participation therein in accordance with the creed or principles of said religious organization. Another person can file a claim in your behalf but must use different forms in filing the claim. From the day notice that you are called is mailed and posted, you have seven (7) days in whiclj you may file a claim of exemption or discharge. If you wish to file such claim you may procure thg forms from the local board or take them from the pamphlet and copy those applicable. The procedure is simple but somewhat exact. Your affidavits must be filed upon the correct theory or your claim will be disregarded. After you have filed your claim for exemption or discharge you have ten days within which to file the proof consisting of* the affidavit.

You will not be allowed to make an argument or introduce any other evidence before the board than the affidavits provide. Then in the event an appeal is proscuted either by the government or by one called for military service, the affidavits submitted to the local board will be reviewed and you are given an additional five (5) days time within which to prepare and present additional affidavits before the appellate tribunal. Every claim for discharge or exemption will be decided by the local board within three (3) days after your affidavits have been filed. If your claim is allowed, a certificate of exemption or discharge will be issued to you but this certificate may be recalled at any time the reasons upon which it is based are removed. Remember, that' your case may be appealed to the district board by the government and on its appeal your ceritficate may be withdrawn at once. When so withdrawn you stand precisely as though you had been selected for military service by the local board. If your claim is disallowed by the lo3tl board your name will be certified and sent by the local board to the district board as one who has been called for military srevice and not exempted or discharged. Within two (2) days thereafter if practicable a list of those so certified to the district board will be given to the papers with a request for publication, will be posted in the offices of the local board accessible to Die public view and notice will be mailed to the address on your registration card. Claims of appeal may be made by a person within ten (10) days after the day when notice has been posted and mailed that such person’s name has been certified to the district board as one who has been called fdr service and exempted or discharged. You have five (5) days after the district board receives your notice that you have filed a claim of appeal iu which to file evidence additional to that filed by you in the local board but all such evidence must consist of affidavits. The decision on your appeal must be made within five (5 days of the closing of proof and you will be notified by mail of the action of the board on your appeal. j Only the district board can receive cl#ftns for discharge on the ground that you are engaged in industry, including agriculture, found to be necessary to the maintenance of the military establishment, the effective operation of the military forces, or the maintenance of national interest during the emergency. Such claims must be filed with the district board on or before the-6th day after the mailing and posting of notice that "you have been certified by the local board as one who has been called for service and not exempted or discharged. Only affidavits can be used in filing proof before the district board, of a claim for exemption on industrial .grounds. .All such affidavits must be filed Wfthin five (6) days after the filing of the claim. The paramount idea is the most efficient maintenance of the government in its military operations. Bey • A t V 4

member that the fact that you are engaged in agriculture is not sufficient cause for your exemption. You must show that your agricultural pursuit is in truth and in fact an industry of value to the government. In other words, if you are producing a crop of weeds you are not conducting an industry valuable to the government and you would be of more value in the army, but if you are contributing materially to the government's products that you have brought about by your own individual energies, then you have a right of claim to exemption. Also as to dependents. Dependents must be supported by the actual physical or mental labor of the applicant. If those termed as dependents are in fact supporting themselves, while the head of the house is unemployed, no claim for exemption will ibe recognized.