Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-21
Under New Plan ofDrqf,
Eoery Man viii Know
His Exact
Position.
lBy Associated press.I ]


into nve classes. In order of their
eligibility for military service. was an
nounced to-day by Provost
General Crowder. Details of the plan
which has been approved by Presid ent
Wilson. are not disclosed. It Ia cal
culated. however. to do away with
virtually all the complicated machin-
cry Of the first draft, and to mako the
operations Of the local boards hereafter
moro than rubber stamp proceedings.
The plan was worked out at con-
ferences with local and district board
officials and approved by the various
State authorities. Its chief features
are that every registered man Will
know his exact position, and be abIe
to arrange his affairs accordingly, and
that nc man deemed necessary in any
important industry or needed At home
to support his family will be called to
the colors unless the military situation
Is desperate.
Detailed regulations to govern the
new system are now being made ready
for distribution to local and district
board members. General Crowder. in
formal statement, assured them that
they Will be given ample opportunity
to familiarize themselves with these
regulations before the machinery pro-
vided is called into use. AS tho next
call to the colors is to be made under
the new plan. this assurance Is taken
to indicate that the second call ia not
to be expected before the FIRST of the
year. although no authoritative state
men on this point was available to-
night.
GREATLY LESSEN LABoRs
OF EXAMINING BOARDS
Provost Crowder is
sued this statement:
With the completion OF the draft
OF the hrst army OF $4,000 men, a new
system will be installed for the crea.
ton of succeeding armies. which will
greatly lessen tho labors of the local
and district boards. 30 far has this
been accomplished that It is believed
that under the new system so per cent
or the work will be eliminated, while
the forms to be used will not exceed
twenty In number. as compared with
approximately 1872 forms which tho
present System requires.
Along with the reduction of labor
there will be provided a system which
VIII classify each one of the nine mil
lions OF men who have not yet been in
duced into military service, and each
man will have been given his place in
the national scheme OF defense.
ITO do this 1t has been determined
TO obtain from each man compIete in
formation of a character which will
definitely FIX his economic worth n,
compared with his fellow-registrant
and from the information thus obtained
to place him in ono Of five classes, each
to be called In turn as the need arises.
TO GET INFORMATION
THROUGH "QUESTIoNNAInEr
Tho method Of obtaining this in
formation is through a 'questionnaire.
series OF questions calculated to pro-
duce tho information required. Thi.
document will be mailed to every reg
istrant not yet in the service, on a day
to be fixed. seven days being given to
each registrant to complete and re-
turn tho same. Every opportunity will
be offered to each man to complete his
questionable fully and without error.
The local boards will then examine
each questionnaire and assign each
reSistrant to one of FIVE classes.
These classes will be based upon
family or occupational standpoint. that
should properly be advanced by a man
desiring to be excused from military
duty. Class one will be the first called
for physical examination and service,
and when 1t is exhausted class two will
follow, and thus each man registered
Will ultimately take his place If needed.
Every opportunity for appeal from
0I ocSgR ftNn 49,
has been retained and perfected, but
proceedings have been greatly simpIi-
fed.
WORK OF LOCAL BOARDS
REDUCED TO MINIMUM
Tho tedious work of the local
boards has been practically eliminated
ny the production Of a form to be
known as No. 1000, which will be the
foundation stone Of the new system.
Through It's use all the laborious work
of making and posting lists has been
eliminated. All of the old docket sheets
and records will be made unnecessary
and by the arrangements Of Its columns
the work Of the local board will be
reduced to a minimum.
"On this new form the complete
history OF each mans case will ap-
pear at glance. beginning with his
order number end ending with his
induction into military camp, while
at the close of each. days work the
local board is enabled to complete in
few minutes with a rubber stamp
what has hitherto taken hours to COM
plete. The system is such that it Will
present each case almost automatical-
ly to the local board.
'"rhe completion Of the new system
will solve problems which have con-
fronted the ovost-marshal- general
and caused him much concern.
"One Of tho most serious of these
has been keeping together the great
organization of, the local and district
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