South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-01
COUNTY BOARD
ACCEPTS FIRST
MAN CALLED
Irwin Willard Found Physically
Fit But Asks Discharge
Because He is Member
of Mennonite Sect.

Irwin willard, farmer living near
Mishawaka on rural route No. ?. was
the first St. Joseph county man ac-
cepted for Uncle Sans great nation
al army
But willard is a conscientious
director" to war. He has filed a
claim for exemption on that ground.
This claim will be decided within
three days. Willard is a member of
the Mennonite sect.
In the physical examination viii
lard was given a clean bill Drs
Feagler, Graham and Van Rie, who
are conducting the physical examin-
atoms for the county exemption
board, pronounced him in fine con-
/ dition TO wear the khaki Of the O.
s. army.
Wizards serial number is 25S, the
first one drawn in the great national
lottery.
Examine 80 Men.
Up to noon Wednesday the county
/ board had examined 50 men. OF
| these 10 filed claims for exemption.
There was one who joined Willard in
"conscientiously Directing" to war.
one asked to be excused 70 support
invalid parents, and - claimed ex
emption on account OF dependent
wivea,'
The examinations before the coun-
ty board will continue for at least
three days. The board was passing
the men at the rate of 10 an hour so
IL was confidently believed that the
| entire 264 called in the county dis
trict would be covered i'm that time
A new call may be necessary, how
ever. to obtain the quota, owing to
exemptions and discharges for phys
| ical reasons.
Will Report TO CrOwder.
The reports OF the physicians in
charge Of the physical examinations
will be forwarded 10 Provost Gen.
Crowder at Washington. where they
will be passed on by army surgeons
The reflections of men for physical
reasons Will be made by the war de-
partment. The physicians in charge
Of the local selection boards do not
pass on acceptances or reflections.
The list Of men accepted will be
/ sent TO the local boards and viii he
posted at their headquarters 1t is
| estimated by local officials that sew
eral weeks will elapse before the
men examined here will learn
whether they have been rejected on
| account of physical defects. Claims
| for exemptions, however, must be
filed at once before the local boards
or the district board Of northern
| Indiana, seven days from the date
on which the notices to appear We're
] filed, being the time limit given for
! filing Of exemption claims.
No bitches in the work occurring
/ owing 10 the perfected system work
ed out by the physicians who have
been holding practice examina-
| tons" for the past several days.
How Examination Goes On.
The men are called for examina-
| tion in the order of their draft num-
/ Der. As their names are called the
men enter the jury room off the
main court room where they remove
/ all their clothes. Each man carries
with him the physical record blank
which the examining physicians fill
/ out as the examination progresses.
! The first physician weighs the can
( didate, measures his height and ex-
amines him fo~ patent physical de
/ fects. He is then passed down the
! lire 10 the next physician who tests
/ his heart action. his lungs and other
organs The candidate must jump,
run and skip about the room first
| on one foot and then on the other.
| He is then examined for rapid pulse
and breathing before being passed
j on 10 the third physician. The
! men afflicted with fat feet cut a
/ sorry figure as they attempt 10 hop,
skip and jump. The last tests in
! clude the hearing and eyesight
, tests. and the examination OF teeth,
nose and throat
I When the candidate finishes the
examination his physical record
blank is filled out and signed by the
/ examining physicians and hled in
the order of the draft numbers. Al
the conclusion OF the DAYS examina-
tiOns these blanks viii be gone over
carefully and the names OF the men
who successfully passed the physical
examination will be posted at the
! headquarters Of the selection board
] Thursday morning Those who do
not successfully withstand the phys
ical examination viii be issued GER
/ tidcates OF discharge by the board
Complete Mailing.
The selection board Of city d.