The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-23
Continued from page 81

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to continue, but think can demon
strate in a few words that we have
removed the burden that you have
hitherto borne.
In the new plan 1872 forms which
served to bewilder both you and the
registrants and to increase your work
have been abolished. Their place has
been taken by 10 which you will be
called upon to use. Even this state
ment gives no idea of the reduction of
clerical labor that has been accom-
plished. For the use Of registrants
there is single form, QUESTIONABLE.
The registrant is called upon to an
swer a series of questions that
searches his entire industrial, eco-
nomic and family relation. Each set
CT questions is integrated with the
claim of classification to which it per-
! tains. On the face of the Question
aire is a summary of it's contents that
almost compels the conclusions to be
drawn from it.
The scope of your labor will be re-
duced to a decision of facts which
will be presented for your considera-
ton without great searching of pa
pers and sitting of obscure and unsat-
isfactory affidavits. The Question
aire practically classifies itself. In
my opinion your task was rendered
burdensome and exhausting by vast
necessity for doing purely mechanical
and clerical work. We have obviated
this. The burdensome clerical part
Of your task is absolutely removed
from your shoulders.
The new method of making physical
examinations is another labor saver
Only those persons Immediately need
ed, classified in Glass l, are to be
physically examined now. Others
are to be physically examined only
when the classes preceding the one
in which they have been placed is
exhausted. There is no double ply
steal examination before the Local
Board. If the examining physician
rejects the registrant, or, If the regis
trant is not satisfied. or, if the exam
lining physician is in doubt, the regis
trant is to be sent before medical
advisory board reasonably convenient
to each local board and composed of
about seven specialists who will con-
duct an exhaustive reexamination, of
the results of which there need be lit
tie doubt. There is also to be estab.
lished in each locality, Legal Advis-
ory Board comprising practically all
the lawyers in the community, and
this society is to furnish without COM
pensation all information and advice
that registrants may require. Local
Boards should refer all requests for
information and for assistance in
preparing Questionaires to these asso-
Citations. This, l hope, will relieve
, one of the most tedious functions of
the members of the boards.
have consulted considerable
number of members of Selection
Boards who advised me in the prepa-
ration of the new regulations. 1t is
the estimate of all of them that the
present method will reduce the work
of members of boards by 70 per cent
l In this state of affairs, it is hoped
: that members of boards can attend to
this most important duty without
making too great an inroad upon the
time necessary for them to attend
their respective callings.
AS l have said, the Selective Ser
vice System is an integral and nee
essary part of this Government, and
, you, as members of it, are as essen
tial in the places to which it has best
served the common good to call upon
you as are the soldiers whom you
have sent to camp. You are, in eff
feet. part of the Army of the Uni
ted States in that you are the sources