THE "FAMILY SHIRKERS"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 248, 14 July 1919, Page 4

THE "FAMILY SHIRKERS"

OPERATION-01? CLAUSE 35.' No portion of the Expeditionary Force Act attracted more general interest than the "family shirker" clause, which provided, if the Minister of Defence were satisfied that two or more unmarried brothers of military age in any family were not permanently unfit for military service, lie might call upon them to show cause why they should not be drafted into the Expeditionary Force. The Minister of Defence decided that this clause should apply only to those families none, of whoso sons had volunteered for active-service abroad. Men who had volunteered and had been rejected as permanently or temporarily unfit, or who wero exempted by tho Ministry of Munitions, were not proceeded against 'under this clause.

, The Defence Department and the Polico Department faced serious difficulty in giving effect to clause 35. There was an impression throughout the country that the sons of certain families wero evading their responsibilities, and in somo cases tho wildest statements had been made by people who knew only tb.nl certain men looked fit and were not in camp. When it was announced that clause 35 was to be put into operation,' the Defence authorities were flooded with the names of alleged "family shirkers." All communications on the subject wero investigated, but more than 80 per cent, of thorn had no good foundation.

The number of men called up under section 35 was 2S7G. Of these, 13-17 were irawn in tlio ordinary ballots befoi'e their cases had been disposed of under section 35. These men became soldiers by law the day following the publication of the ballot list, and as soon as they were.soldiers the proceedings under the special clause had to bo dropped. This was a complication that had not been foreseen when the Act was being framed. .Of the remaining 1539 men, 1313 were medically examined,.63 were not traced by the police, 104 had volunteered before the clauso 35 notices served, and the others were dealt with in various ways.

Of the 1313 clause 35 men medically examined, S6II were cKisssrl At A.and 20 were classed B; 54 were declared fit for the CI camp, and 379.were declared unfit. The number of men actually taken into camp under tho clause was approximately 800, and of theso 659 Trere embarked.