From the News

Dated: May 24, 1916

Issue Buttons to Exempt Men

Discharged Men Without Evidence

District staff officers are considering the advisability of authorizing two additional sets of buttons or badges to be issued to exempted or discharged men in Toronto.  It has been found that there is a big demand for a badge for civilians who are exempt from military service because of age or employment, while there is also a considerable number of men who hold discharge papers although they have not had an opportunity of proceeding overseas and are apparently in the same class with recruiting prospects.   At present the man who has enlisted and has been discharged after short service because of one or several reasons, has no button to indicate this fact.  The man who is exempt because he is a munition worker or because he is over or under age also has no button to wear.

Over 2,100 buttons have been issued by the Toronto Recruiting Depot to men who have been found to be medically unfit for service.  Applications for these buttons have been received from outside points, but these requests have been ignored unless it is shown that the outside applicant had been previously rejected at the Toronto Recruiting Depot.  Several men in Peterboro, Hamilton, Kingston and other places have secured these buttons because the records show that they were examined and rejected in Toronto.

There is a feeling in military circles that the system of issuing buttons for rejected or exempted men should be extended to all parts of the country.    Major G. H. Williams, chief recruiting officer for Military District No. 2, is one who holds this opinion.