AMERICAN TRIBUNALS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9824, 22 November 1917, Page 8

AMERICAN TRIBUNALS

CLAIMS FOR EXEMPTION “SHIRKERS” WITH THE OLD EXCUSES. Each l country that ha-s come into the war has had to discover for itself the way to make war, says Mr Hamilton Fyfe, writing from New York at t-no end of August. All-important problems, which mean the difference between life and death perhaps to thousands- ol soldiers, and the difference between comfort and hardship to millions of poop’© at Home—these problems can only bo solved by separate and personal working out. The answer one has found is of little use to others. Each must find a solution which fits the special case. So it Is that I see hero repeated all the incidents which have accompanied the successive stages of the war in England. These aro the conscientious objectors. There is tiro uneasy feeling that baseball matches, attended by thousands of spectators, are uot quite in the picture. Thor© aro the hastily-celobi-ated war marriages. Women aro being exhorted to save food. Men are urged to plaut their hack gardens. Thor© are the same scenes, the same excuses before the tribunals which are deciding claims for exemption from military service. Everything here seems more amusing and on a larger, heartier scale. The tribunals a.ro sometimes very funny. I spend an hour or so listening to their proceedings whenever I can. The number of rejections in this city on account of defective health or physique at first startled New York. One of the examining physicians admitted he was surprised and dismayed, too, at the weaknesses revealed. Bad teeth were the cause of the greater number of rejections. One had an idea that all Americans took car© of their teeth. Feeble eyesight, flat feet, and “imperfections due to lack of exercise,” came next. “There are too many men,” said this doctor, “with pigeon chests, big stomachs, uncertain hearts, and spindly legs.” But that is not so in all great cities. It is _ from the fields that the finest recruits, though not necessarily the finest soldiers, come. The city weakling, as ho seems to be, soon hardens aud fills out. Regular feeding, regular hours, regular exercise have a rapid effect in making a man of him. Probably tho New York doctors aro rejecting too readily, simply because they have not had the opportunity of seeing what the men who appear to them to he “weeds” can be turned into.

MR NATHAN RUDINSKI. Plenty of the undersized have gallant hearts. Lot mo j»reswn, Mr Nathan Rudinski. He wias waiting a few days ago in the room next to that where the examination went on. He is sft 6in, and only just up to tho right weight.

“I hope the doc. won’t thump my stomach,” said Nathan. “I’ve just drunk fourteen glasses of water to make me weigh heavier.” ’ German nationality is a cause of exclusion from the United States Army. A German named Berger protested loudly when ho was told he would not be wanted.

“I came away from that country nine years ago,” he said, “because I con Lull/1 got on ■■with Autocracy. I want a chance to reform that same autocracy with a rifle. It’ s hard I can’t go.” A pathetic tale was told by a native of Russia named Weinski. Five of his brothers were in the war, ho told the court. One had been killed, one had lost both hands, a third was a prisoner hi Germany, two were still fighting ,in France. His story was genuine, it appeared. He did not ask to bo let off. All he said was, “Take car© of my wife and little hahy.” Another man whoso brothers are fighting declared himself to ho of Austrian birth. Unfontunatelv they were on the wrong side. “Should I hare to fight against them?” he inquired, not as if he minded very much.

_ The most amusing plea for exemption that 1 have hoard was entered by one Mcßride, who called himsolf an artist. I only hope he does not claim to be an Irishman. He brought out a roll of designs for posters. One was headed, “Up, slackers!” Another boro the legend, “Don’t wait to be called twice.”

. .“Don’t you think I should he more usefully employed doing this kind of work?” he asked. The tribunal said rather coldly, “No.” “Very well,”' retorted Mcßride, “then I object to serve because I am conscientiously opposed to the taking of human life.”

Another conscript, named Isidore Kaminski, whoso racial stock may also be guessed without much cudgelling of brains, told tho examiner that he had injured his foot. He limped into the room with the air of a man suffering tbe extreme of pain.

The doctor looked at the foot. “Nothing wrong there,” he said shortly. Kaminski seemed to be more annoyed than astonished. However, he had another excuse ready. His eyes were weak. “And if dot von’t do,” he remarked withsjit shame, “I haf an internal inchuree vich I caused by sktraining meinself carrying rood.” AGED PARENTS SUPPLIED. If tho men drawn for service can show that they aro the solo supporters of aged relatives, they are excused. At one tribunal a letter was received from a poor woman, who wrote: “My sou will claim that ho supports me. He does not. He never did and he never will. On no account let him off.”

A German plot to make strong young man ineligible by pulling a number of their teeth has been, discovered. The Deputy Attorney-General of the United States says he has evidence of this. Aged parents, grandparents, paralysed uncles, crippled sisters are supplied by another German agency on application. But the tribunals have been “wised up,” as they say here, to these and other devices of the enemy. In Oklahoma the objectors to national service took to the woods and defied the authorities. They did their best to spread a reign of terror, but after some sharp fighting they gave in. Strange that men should fight to avoid fighting, should more willingly take the risk of being shot by a fellow-country-man than by a German? The explanation offered is that in Oklahoma they aro glad of a chance to fight about anvtbing. Now tbey have had _ their private scrap the ‘-‘rebels” will in all probability gladly go off to be trained for more -elaborate battles.^ A vegetarian society which appealed for the exemption of its members on

the ground that “they do not oat fish, flesh, or fowl, and are consequently opposed to the killing of human beings,” received from the Deputy AttorneyGeneral a diverting reply. “I think,” he wrote, ‘'there is no idea on the part of the Government, notwithstanding anything the Germans may have in mind, to kill any human being for eating purposes.” The vegetarians will therefore have to “do their bit,” like those who eat mutton and beef.