258 F. 441 | 4th Cir. | 1919
Appellant, Samuel Arbitman, by writ of habeas corpus applied to Judge Rose of the district of Maryland for discharge from military service at Camp Meade, alleging himself to be a citizen of Russia who had not declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and that the action of local exemption board No. 1 of Philadelphia in placing him in class Al, and of the district board in sustaining the classification, was arbitrary, unfair, fraudulent, and in abuse of discretion. After hearing testimony, the District Judge dismissed the application, holding that the boards had given petitioner a fair hearing, and that therefore he had no jurisdiction to review their action by habeas corpus.
In proof of his claim to be placed in class 5 as a resident alien who had not filed his first naturalization papers, Arbitman presented to the local board his own affidavit in precise accordance with the reg-
Petitioner’s showing before the boards, made out in precise accordance with the requirements, established prima facie that he was a Russian citizen, and had taken no steps looking to naturalization. Nothing was offered tending to show that the affidavits to this effect were false, or that the passport was not genuine. The sole reason upon which the exemption was rejected was that the boards did not believe the affidavits; and the sole basis of this disbelief was the ease with which members of the board had found that such affidavits could be obtained. Nothing appeared tending to impeach the reputation or character of petitioner, or either of the other affiants, and nothing to show that any member of either board knew them to be unworthy of belief. Although the records of the immigration commissioner were open to the exemption officers, they made no effort to disprove the statement that Arbitman had not applied for naturalization papers.
This conclusion is no reflection on the character, competency, or good faith of the exemption boards of Philadelphia. The duties of the exemption boards were most onerous. The country’s safety required quick decision and action on many difficult questions. These duties were discharged at great personal sacrifice, with so much ability, fidelity, and fairness, that the number of applications for judicial interference has been very small. It was inevitable that there should be an occasional slip, like that made by the boards in this case. The matter of surprise is that there were not more mistakes.
Reversed.