The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-11-23
MARRIED MEN ARE
REASONABLY SAFE
FROM ARMY CALL
Will Draft Youths Before
Class Four Goes Says
Crowder.
PRAISE FOR LOCAL BOARD
Future Drafts Must be Made
on a Scientific Selection
Principle.
PRAISE FOR LOCAL BOARD
tny Assoeiated Press J


WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-In IN adj
dress to the local and district draft
boards which Provost Marshal Cen
eral +. II. Crowder made public here
today he explains about the aims Of
the new draft scheme under which fu.
ture calls to the colors will be made.
He prefaces his remarks by dis
cussion of the original plan during
which he says: I'VE are in this war to
attain victory. We have taken one
great step, but 1t is only one step. AS
Cur military need for men grows so will
our industrial need for labor grow. We
have hacked the first increment of our
armies out with broada2 because
there was time for no greater refine
ment. We must pare future increments
eway with greater discrimination. The
adjective principle must be carried to
its logical conclusion and we must
meet Prussian efficiency with great-
or American effectiveness. We must
consider the circumstances OF all reg
istrants. We must arrange them in
the order in which they can be taken
with the least disturbance and this
place. behind our battle lines sources
cs recruitment that will furnish men
as they are needed. This means segre-
cation of registrants in classes arrang-
cd In the order of their availability FOR
military service"
Taking up the new plan he says:
By the great drawing in Washing
ton the order of availability for ali
men whose circumstances were equal
was determined. We shall not disturb
this order unless some great need OF
the Nation requires 1t. We shall make
four classes Of temporary and contin-
gent discharges, but within each class
Cncluding the class of those immedi.
ately available) men shall stand in the
order determined by the drawing.
1.-THE unit for classification is the
jurisdiction of local board. The first
class in any Jurisdiction will meet all
calls until 1t is exhausted, whereupon
the second class becomes available.
You have before you sheet show.
ing the classification that must be ac-
complished. Without permitting your.
selves, for the moment, TO be appalled,
by the magnitude of the task, ask you
to suppose that the 100000 regis
trants in the United States have been
segregated into these five classes. In
Glass we shall then have, in every
community Immediately available for
military service single men and few
married men whose removal will not
disturb the reasonably adequate sup
port of their dependents. In the indus.
tial and agricultural aspect, VIC shall
lave segregated into this class, men
who have not especially fitted them.
selves for industrial or agricultural
pursuits SO that Our only incursion into
the labor supply will affect but small
percentage of unskiled labor.
In Class II we find men who can
be taken without disturbing the sup.
port of any dependent and, as l shall
presently show you, if the necessity of
drawing of Glass II arrives, we must de.
nand even from agriculture and indus.
try an adjustment TO replace small
percentage of skilled labor affected by
the draft-men who. while occupying
Io pivotal or important position, can
serve industry or agriculture better
than unskilled men.
SHOULD the pinch of military neces
/, s;ty increase beyond Glass II, it wouhi
mean that the Nation would have 10 be
gin to commit itself to hardship and Ia
an adjustment in agriculture and indus
try TO meet the paramount necessity