A stepmother may and should, in all important respects,
take the place of the actual mother. Yet the father is exempt. Children
of an insane mother, however, may be left entirely without maternal care
and protection, and the father, upon whom may rest the burden of
children and wife, is _not_ exempt.
Clause seventh reads as follows: 'Where there are a father and sons in
the same family and household, and two of them are in the military
service of the United States, as non-commissioned officers, musicians,
or privates, the residue of such family or household, not exceeding two,
shall be exempt.'
In reading this clause, the question naturally arises: Why is this
provision made applicable only to families in which the father is still
living? Why should not a widow, having two uncommissioned sons in the
army, have her remaining son exempt, as well as if her husband were
still living? Judge Holt has decided that 'a widow having four sons,
three of whom are already in the military service, the fourth is exempt,
_provided_ she is dependent on his labor for support.' If the father
were living, the remaining son would be absolutely exempt.
The evident design of this clause is to take into consideration the
amount which each family may have contributed to the service. But this
generous intention is practically ignored by another 'opinion,' which
makes it necessary that two members of the same family must be _now_ in
service, in order that the exempting clause may apply.
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