New-York tribune., 1917-07-21
Conscripts Still
Have Opportunity
Volunteer
Few Days Are Left for the
Drafted Men to Pick
Branch of Service

] For the man whose number was
drawn early in the draft lottery and
whose physical condition and domestic
/ circum stances are such as TO make
+ his conscription a certainty, there
! still remains a chance to serve Uncle
! Sam as a volunteer.
In the muddle of antiquities which
await official Interpretation this point
/ stands out clearly. The decision of Ad-
iutant General McCain's and it was put
on record yesterday in telegram re-
ceived by Colonel R. D. Walsh, com
manding the army recruiting headquar-
ters at 2S0 Broadway.
What the adjutant general had to
say was this:
after a registered person has been
called for military service by his local
board and directed to appear for physi-
cal examination he cease to be eligible
for voluntary enlistment"
Probably it will not be until Monday
that the first of the notices referred
to by General Mccain are sent out by
the exemptors.
One Days Leeway
Thus, certainly, there is at least one
days leeway for the man who, about
I TO be marched away to war wllly-nilly,
sees the desirability OF picking his own
branch of the service and clecting t.
enIist in that organization in which he
has friends.
In anticipation that thousands
] threatened with conscription will avail
( themselves of this last opportunity to
90 10 the front as volunteers, recruit
ing officers are preparing to handle a
record breaking rush to the colors.
/ For those we'll up on the draft list
who prefer to take their chances be-
| fore the exemption boards, if so be
/ n thew either fall into one of the pre-
| scribed exempt classes or are not eager
: for the fray, procedure is somewhat
I complicated.
In the first place. there is no action
, the registrant can take looking 70 nnai
| exemption or discharge until the notice
| of call il received and he is instructed
when to appear for physical examina-
| ton. +o
One point which does not appear 70
have had any weighty consideration Is
the time the registrant must saeriHce
| in connection with this examination
rot so much in actually passing through
! tho examiners hands. but in waiting
turn Medical members of the boards
already are agreed that the speed de-
manded of them by the government IS
too great for careful work, and that
I even the time necessary for supernclai
examination will throw them behind
/ schedule.
No Guarantee Of Time
While they must set no exact time
/ for the registrant 10 appear, and IL Is
nm 10 the registrant to obey, there can
no no guarantee under the present ar
rangement against a great loss OF tim@'
/ Indications are the registrant may nave
/ 10 wait for hours.
Those of the boards which have been
most persistently on the Job and nave
had good luck in getting supplies from
Albany were able 10 hand 10 each man
who called at headquarters TO learn ms
serial number yesterday booklet OF
| instructions.
In this bulletin Of Information for
Persons Registered" it is pointed out
! that regardless of intention TO claim
exemption. IL is the duty of the regis
trant TO appear for physical examlna,
t;on nj the time named in the call
which will be mailed to him, ..
such a. are found physically DIS
qualified. unless the disqualification be
~ a temporary nature, have seven days
in which TO file an exemption or DIS
charge claim and ten more days IN
which to gather and Ale supporting