Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1917 — GENERAL AND STATE NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. ______ 4 1 SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in the Nearby Cities and Towns—Matters of Minor Mention from Many Places. BOARDS OF REVIEW NAMED To Consider All Appeals Made From Decisions of Local Boards. Governor Goodrich has approved the selections made by Jesse E. Eschbach, state conscription agent, of the members of the four district conscription boards of review for Indiana in connection with the national army. These' boards will have the work of deciding appeals taken from the decisions of local military exemption boards and they will have exclusive jurisdiction in cases involving agricultural or industrial exemptions. The boards are made up of five members each, one lawyer, one physician, one representative of labor, industry -and agriculture. The counties making up the district and the members of the board who have been chosen by Mr. Eschbach are as follows; Labor—M. L. Ray, Peru, Miami county.

Agriculture William Lawson, Chase, Benton county. Industry—John W. Lees, Indiana Harbor, Lake county. Doctor —Charles C. Terry, South Bend, St. Joseph county. Lawyer—Andrew J. Hickey, Laporte county. Total Estimated RegisCounty. Population, tration. Lake 145,891 12,383 Porter 21,535 1,830 Laporte 51,205 4,352 St. Joseph . 102,874 10,580 Marshall 2 4,<7 5 2,4)55 Starke 10,666 907 Fulton 16,879 .1,435 Pulaski 13,312 1,132 Jasper .... 13,044 1,109 Newton 10,543 896 Benton 12,688 1,078 Warren 10,899 926 White 17.602 1,495 Carroll . . 17,970 1,527 Cass 37,696 3,204 Miami 30,084 2,557 Howard • • 36,536 3,106 Tipton .... 17,459 1,484 Clinton 26,674 2,267 Tippecanoe 41,087 3,492 Fountain ..u. ... . 20,439 1,737

Total ..679,258 50,553 The appointments which have been made will have to be finally passed on by President Wilson and the military officials before a date is set for the boards to meet and organize. The conscription law sets out that the district boards shall have the right to “modify or reverse any decision of any local board having jurisdiction in the area of which any such district board has jurisdiction under the rules and regulations of the President.” “Such district boards,” the law says, “shall have exclusive original jurisdiction within’ their respective areas to hear and determine all questions or claims for including or excluding or discharging persons or classes of persons from selective draft, under the provisions of this law, not included within the original jurisdiction of such local boards. All cases involving agricultural or industrial exemptions will be passed on by the district boards; which also shall decide appeals from the., local boards.’’

The regulations which have been set out by the President on the law, provide that where persons claim exemptions because of some industrial or agricultural pursuit, they must show the district boards that their particular work or occupation is necessary “to the maintenance of the military establishment or national interest during the emergency.” Exemptions are not to be made in classes, but each case will be decided by itself. In most of the counties of the state there is only one local exemption board. Marion county has ten such boards. When the drawings are made, persons have the right to appear before the local boards and claim exemptions. Those claiming exemption may appeal the case to the district board, if the decision of the local board is not satisfactory. The decision of the district boards will be final, except that their decisions may be set aside by the President.