Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-12-01

ne informed OF thclr duty under SclcC-
tive service law and regulations, to
search for persons who do not re
spond promptly and to serve the sum
mons of local and district boards.
Newspapers can be of very great
assistance in giving wide publicity to
tlc requirements of the law and reg
uations and to the members and
names Of those who are called to
present themselves to their local
boards from day to day.
Finally, | ask that during the time
hereafter to be specified as marking
the sixty-day period of the classif
cation, all citizens give attention to
the task in hand in order that the
process may proceed to n conclusion
with swiftncss and yet with even and
considerate Justice to ALL,
Supplementing the President s call
to the nation, Provost Marshal General
Crowder issued the following state
ment:
"The questionable which is the basis
Of the new system is a collection #
questions bringing out the essential
fact upon which all classifcations arc
made. 1t is the only printed form
which any registrant needs to use
either in making claims or filing proof
At first sight, it may seem a little
formidable, but reading of the qucS
lions shows that they are simple
enough for any person who can read
and write understandingly to answer.
1.-The president s message lines ur
the whole legal profession of the
United States as assistants of the Sc
lective service system and as impair
.ial advisor to registrants in filling
out their questionaires. Under the
new regulations place is TO be pro
vided convenient to every local board
where registrants may 60 for free al
vice and assistance In making out this
document. The county judge or other
judicial officer of similar court is
placed at the head of a committe of
lawyers In each vicinity and this com
mittee is charged with the duty of
seeing that there are always plenty OF
lawyers and other volunteers present
to help registrants in filling out the
QUESTIONABLE.
Classification Begins Dec. Is.
"Questionaires are to be mailed by
the local boards to five per cent of the
registrants each day. The principsl
We demonstrating that it u -pssls4f4sti
time all the quostffdhsirss should be
retarned to the boards. Every-man1
aas seven days In which to return his
questionable fully made out. The
process Of classification will begin
about December Is. Eight days later
the boards will begin the great pro-
cess Of classification which becomes,
in the words of the president, a ma
tional war undertaking of such sig
nifcance as to challenge the attention
and compel the assistance of every
American.
"Not since the war began has an
opportunity been offered for practi-
cally every person TO take an active
and vigorous part in so important
war measure as the actual raising of
our armies. The president s foreword
offers this opportunity. 1t gives
definite place for the doctors to work
in making the physical examination.
For the first time 1t assigns every
lawyer to active duty in building u?
the national army. In the legal advi-
sorry boards it gives every one who
responds to the president Seal place
N the ranks of the army behind the
army.
"Tle nation already has a remark
able record of efficiency in adjusting
its political machinery to the regis
tration Of ten million men within
eighteen DAYS after the enactment Of
the law authorizing registration. 1t
is now proposed to better this record
by classif' ing ten million men in a
period Of sixty days"