Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-27

questions that searches his entire indus
trial, economic and family relation. Each
set OF questions is integrated with the
claim of classification to which it per-
tsins On the face of the QUESTIONABLE
is a summary of it's contents that al
most compels the conclusion to be drawn
from IT.
The scope OF your labor will be re-
duced 10 q decision Of facts which will
be presented for your consideration
without a great searching of papers and
sitting of obscure and unsatisfactory af-
fidavits. The QUESTIONABLE practically
classifies itself. In my opinion your
task was rendered buTdensome and eX-
hausting by a vast necessity for doing
purely mechanical and clerical work. We
have obviated this. The burdensome
clerical part of your task is absolutely
removed from your shoulders.
The new method of making physical
examinations is another labor saver.
Only those persons Immediately needed,
classified in class /. are to be physically
examined now. Others are to be physi-
cnlly examined only when classes pre-
ceding the one in which they have been
placed is exhausted. There is no double
physical examination before the local
board. II the examining physician re-
jects the registrant, or, if the registrant
physician is in doubt, the registrant is
to be sent before a medical advisory
board reasonably convenient to each To-
cal board and composed of about seven
specialists who will conduct an exhaus-
tive REORGANIZATION. of the results of
which there need be little doubt. There
is also to be established in each locality
a legal advisory board comprising prac-
tically all the lawyers in the commu-
nifty, and this society is to furnish with
out compensation all information and
advice that registrants may require. Lo-
cal boards should refer all requests for
information and for assistance in pre-
pairing Questionnaires to these assocla-
tions. This, I hope, will relieve one of
the most tedious functions of the men,
bers Of the boards.
! have consulted a considerable num-
Der of members OF selection boards who
advised me in the preparation of the
new regulations. 1t is the estimate of
all Of them that the present method will
reduce the work of members Of boards
by 10 per cent In this state of affairs,
it is hoped that members Of boards can
attend to this most important duty with
out making too great an inFoad upon the
time necessary for them to attend their
respective callings.
selective Service Necessary
AS have said, the selective service
system is an integral and necessary part
OF This government. and you. as mem
bers Of il. are as essential in the places
to which il has best served the common
good to call upon you as are the soldiers
whom you have sent to camp You are,
in effect, a part of the army of the
United States in that you are the source
of its supply. The nation is rapidly be-
CT
of il were disturbed now it is not too
much to say that that system would be
shattered so effectively that il would
take weeks, IL not months, to repair the
damage. That, | think. is too clear to
require further exposition. But there is
a further thought that has not yet been
emphasized.
We, as nation. have learned much IN
the last few months. We have, in the
words Of the president. drawn close IN
one compact front against a common
foe" and we have found ourselves. We
have learned the sacrifict ~ must be
made TO make our nation from ag-
erosion. The duty Of t.t.@chship has
taken on new light fer all OF us and
there has been 70 hesitation among our
people Tn performing that duty Wheth-
er Germany has taught us or whether
we have learned il ourselves, ne know
one thing so clearly and so wei that we
will never again have doubt OF it. The
volunteer method OF raising an army ioT
war is gone. II will never return. The
principle of selection has been tried and
proved by our people ! am led to be-
leve that they approve it with substan-
tial unan.mity. If Il is good for this
time Of peril. * is good for all future
emergencies. The wonder is that peo-
ple SO devoted to business efficiency
should have hesitated 10 adopt it. 1t is
OF the. essence Of democracy and nation
al effectiveness. The present method
for it's oppression integrates with our
political system so perfectly responds
so smoothly and 30 we'll 10 our dual
form Of state and national control that
il would be calBmitous TO have it i'm
paired. The principle OF selection is es-
tablished. The system Of selection i'm
proved as we can improve it must be-
come and ~Rols IN a permanent part of
our governmental system for war. |; IS
link which binds closer our union of
states and our resulting general govern
ment 1t is for this reason that 7 say
that we are standing not AT the portals
OF a past but rather al the threshold of
= future. e. Ii. CROW DER.