Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-23
NEXT DRAFT STEPS
|NSTATES' HANDS
Mailing of Master Lists To-Day
Practically Finishes Job for
Federal Government.
LOCAL BOARDS IN CHARGE
Indications Are That Fewer Ex-
emptions Will Be Asked
Than Anticipated.
LOCAL BOARDS IN CHARGE

midnight tomorrow, when the last Of
the master lists shall have been mail
ed to the local boards, operation OF the
law will practically have passed out
Of the hands Of the Federal govern
ment. 1t will retain merely supervi-
sion of exemptions
The big question now is: Which
State will furnish its quota first?
The race is to the swiftest," General
Crowder said to-day. The State first
reporting it's force ready will. Of
course, receive much honor"
Congratulated from all sides on his
masterful handling of the greatest
problem America has ever faced in a
military way, General Crowder re-
NAMED at his desk throughout the
Sunday holiday. directing the work or
preparing master lists for mailing.
Practically all the ten sheets Of 900
numbers each have now been verified
and Tailed. Six have already been
checked up in Iroof. and run off by
the thousands by the Government Print
ing Office. 1t is expected that the last
sheet will be ready by morning, and
that the mailing Of them will begin
late in the afternoon.
In all, 49,02I master sheets have to
be mailed out. eleven to each OF the
1857 local boards. Two Of the sheets
contain 1000 numbers each. and the
eleventh 500 members, making the to-
tai of 10000 numbers drawn.
COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS
SENT TO LOCAL BOARDS
Complete instructions to cover every
sent TO the local boards. The rules
tor handling cards improperly or illegi-
oly numbered were made public last
night.
The boards now will be left with
their own work
The government has nothing to do
with exemptions. The. law. specifically
provides that soldiers will be made OUT
Of civilians by civilian boards. men
of their own kind. Other civilian
boards will serve as courts of appeal
There are l56 OF these appellate boards
The majority of them were named yes
terday. The remainder will be made
public tomorrow. General Crowder
said this afternoon
Indications here tonight were that
fewer exemptions will be asked than
was anticipated. The margin estimat-
ed by the government is only little
over 100000 men out OF the 10000. 600
drafted. and that is too narrow to per-
nit OF widespread exemptions The
estimate is that 40 yer cent OF the
drafted force will be ineligible physi-
cally TO serve.
Claims of exemption for dependency
will be closely investigated. Afidavits,
not only by the man making the claim
nd the dependent named will be nee
essary but a third affidavit from a dis
interested person acquainted with the
circumstances of the man will be re-
quired.
Claims for exemption for industrial
reasons also will require complete
proof The employer must prove that
his business Is vital to the war needs
OF the nation, and that the employee
making the claim is a vital factor In
the industry, before the man will be
exempted. The man himself. If making
the claim, must bring similar affi-
davits.
TWO MEN MAKE SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS NECESSARY
The special instructions made pub
lie last night for dealing with regis
tration cards received after July 10,
were made necessary by two men, ac-
cording to the story told here to-day
These men had been out of the coun-
try on registration day, and registered
on their return. IT was then too late
to number their cards. and the question
arose whether even TWO men should be
exempted under the law because OF the
inelasticity Of its provisions. General
Crowder solved The probleTn by ruling
that their cards should receive the next
serial number to the highest In the
districts in which they registered
Two more drafts will be held, but
not in washington. One will be at
San Juan. Porto Rico. under direction
of the Governor-General there. Ap-
proSimately 1o4 900 Porto Rlcans regis.
tered on July 6. their registrations be-
ing delayed by ignorance or bad
weather. This is 100 pc. cent regis
tration for the islands. The details
for the Porto Rico draft have not been
set.
Alaska has not even registered yet
She is supposed to supply COL men to
the national army. 1t will require
more than three months for the north
ernmost territory to register alone, 1t
is estimated. and probably six months
before the draft can be completed and
the force mobilized.
GERMAN ANTIDRAFT PLO1-rERs