The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-10-24
DRAFT SYSTEM MODIFIED,
OF FIRST CALI
TO BE REMOVED IN
SECOND.
rive Divisions to be Made Based on
Availability of Men for Service in
Army-List Of Questions to BE Sent
on Date Not Announced.

Washington. Oct. 20.-A sweepin,
change in the machinery of the Sc
lective draft based on division of the
100000 remaining registrants into
iiVe classes i'm order OF f/their eligibil.
ity for military service was an.
nounced today by Provost Marsha
General Crowder. Details Of the plan
Which has been approved by Prcsi.
lent Wilson, are not disclosed. 1t is
calculated, however, TO do away with
virtually all the complicated ma
chinery of the first draft and to make
The operations of the local boards
hereafter little more than rubbe,
stamp proceedings.
The plan was worked out at con-
'orences with local and district board
officials and approved by various
state authorities. Its chief features
ire that every registered man will
Inow his exact position and be able
arrange his affairs accordingly and
hat no man deemed necessary in any
important industry or needed at
home to support his family will be
,alled to the colors unless the nili-
ary situation is desperate.
Detailed regulations to govern the
lew system are being made ready
or distribution to local and district
BOARD members. General Crowder in
| formal statement assured them that
hey will be given ample opportunity
o familiariZe themselves with these
equations before the machinery pro-
ided is called into use. AS the next
all to the colOrs is to be made under
he new plan, this assurance is taken
indicate that the second call is not
be expected before the first of the
year.
The success of the plan depends
ipon the completeness of the oues-
ionairc. The questions to be an.
'wered by the registered man have
'een worked out with infinite care
rom the vast fund of informatio,
leaned from the first use of the draft
machinery.
Included in the plans of the gov
'rnment, 1t is understood. is n pro.
ision which will place the services OF
l trained attorney at the disposal of
very registrant to assist him in MAX
ng his answers.
The new plan, General Crowdcr
points out, settles the vexing ques-
ion Of continuing the physical exami.
iation in registrants until all have
'een classified in this way.
Presumably it will be necessary to
examine men under the new plan only
vhen called upon. or if greater speed
an be secured in that way, to exam
ne and classify physically all mem
'ers Of the class that is under call.
A point not made clear in General
PROVIDERS statement is how the rota-
ion numbers Of the drawing to nx
he order Of military liability are &c
>e applied. 1t seems, however, that
he rotation numbers cs the men in
ny class will govern the order in
which they come up. In that case
'ach class group will have it's own or
Ter Of liability list, based on the mas
er list.
The result OF the new plan UNI
'oubtedly will be to place in the frs;
lass men who are without depend.
'nts. whose civil occupation is MOI
italy important to the nation :
work at home and who are physical.
Y best able to endure the hardships
If war. This will bring forward !.
majority of the single men of the en-
lire registration.
Presumably married men who haze
Independent incomes also would be
placed in the first class where thg
proof of the dependent in their alb
ience was assured.
The new plan will afford also q
better opportunity OF conservins
skilled labor. Where men needed i,
the various war industries are other
wise eligible for front line service
means is provided for holding then.
back from the army under definite
centralized plan.
Following is the text Of Genera
Crowder's announcements:
with the completion of the draft
of the first army of $4,000 men {
new system will be installed for tn,
ed against the declaration to hold III