The Washington times., 1917-06-06
WAR DEPT. RUSHES
CONSCRIPTTONWORK
Oils Machinery for Selecting
Men for Army.
TO NAME EXEMPTION BOARD
First Drawing From Lists to Begin
in Two Weeks.

With registration over, the machin'
cry of the War Department was speed
ed up today to cal out the first force
of $1,000 men for the national army.
While these preparations were being
made the War Department announced
that the recruiting drives had brought
the regular army and national guard
u pto total strength of 422. 900, giving
proof that the War Department Is
near Its goal OF an army of 900, 900.
The next steps in the plan to can
out the first complement of 625,00o
from the 10000, 900 registered yes
terday, according to present plans
will be:
First appointment of exemption
board.
Second. fixing of States quotas for
conscription.
Third, drawing OF frst e25,Ooo men.
Fourth, exemption OF physically un-
fit and men excused for other rea.
sons.
Fifth. calling out the irst conscript
army for concentration in divisional
camps.
A board of civilians is in confer.
ence with Provost Marshal General
Crowder today giving final touche )
to the regulations promulgated to
outline the operation for an exemp-
ton board.
To Name Boards Soon.
appointment OF these boards to sift
out the exempted men will be an
nounced probably tomorrow.
The plan is to appoint county offi-
cials throughout the nation for this
work.
In the District the Commissioners
probably will designate the exemption
board which will sift out Of the names
drawn the estimated $500 out of the
thousands who registered here yester-
day for the District quota to the frst
conscript army.
The first drawing OF registered
names will begin within two weeks
IL present plans are carried out. Be
fore the drawing is made the names
OF all men specifically exempted from
military service will be withdrawn
from the list. This number includes
men who have lost legs, arms, or
eyes, and ministers, divinity students,
and others who will escape conscrip-
tion.
None
After the nrst drawing a physical
examination will be held to remove
the physically unft.
This will take at least half the first
number drawn, according to the esti-
mate OF the general staff.
After the physicians exemptions,
the exemption board will pass upon
the claims OF married men with de-
pendent families, farm and Industrial
works and others who will be excused
from military service. The District
exemption board will probably receive
special instructions to excuse from
service all Government officials and
clerks in Washington whose services
to the Government are considered
more valuable at their desks than in
the field.
War Department officials estimate
that 1t will be necessary to draw
100000 names or one-fourth the
number registered yesterday to get
the first army OF $4,000. Out OF this
1000. 100000 will be exempted on
physical grounds. This is considered
a low estimate. as less than one in
four applicants are accepted as re-
cruits to the regular army. Out OF
the remaining million It is estimated
that nearly half will be exempted
from the first draft on other grounds
Volunteers FIJI Ranks.
Gains in regular army and National
Guard recruiting are such that officials
now believe It will be unnecessary TO
employ conscription to i'll the ranks OF
these organizations to war strength.
The regular army today lacks but
5000 Of its war strength Of $4,000. The
total strength Of the national guard uns
der war conditions as reported TODAY il
,0i.s9e. which is iA.0OO short Of war
strength Of $4,000. Recruiting drives
will be organized at once in most
branches to I'LL the rangs before the
irEt cnnscrinis are hra wn