Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-19
TASK IMPOSSIBLE,
SAY DRAFT BOARDS
Rule Ordering Classification
Four Days After Return of
Queries Causes Concern.
REGISTRANTS ARE WARNED

'Impossible!'
! Such is the word used by members
Eof local exemption boards in comment
| ing upon the rule in the new selective
service regulations which says that in
every case where QUESTIONABLE is
returned by a registrant the local board
shall classify the registrant and mail
notice of classification not later than
/ four days after the receipt of the ques-
+, tionnaire'
Just what this rule means began to
dawn upon local board members when
| 1t was realized that. in addition to
| sending out approximately $50 ques-
| tionnaires a day, and answering the
| thousand and one questions asked DAY
| by day at the board headquarters, be-
ginning December IS, four dys after
| the first batch of missionaries are
due the boards will have to act on Lou
t cases a day.
Gail Task Impossible.
That the three members of each
board shall, personally, look over 100
Guestionnaires a day, hear evidence IN
the cases and give each registered man
the careful attention which he mas d
right to expect, and finally classify the
men. is an utterly impossible task, say
local board members.
Beginning December "a each board
will have approximately 1oo cases 70
handle, and many will have more than
that a day. Each day thereafter an
equal number will come in. so that
within several days there will be sew
eral hundred men to. classify January
8 will end the mailing out OF question
naires, and seven days following are
allowed. According to the ruling
quoted. January 20 would be the last
day allowed local boards for classify
ing men.
" unless it degenerates into rubber
stamp" proceeding, board members en-
phatically stated today.
Proud of Records.
Members of the eleven local boards OF
the District are proud OF their fec7fu
in handling cases. and in many IN
stances deliberated some weeks on IN
diyiduai cases in order that the fullest
need of justice might be done both the
United States and the individual regis
trant
such. local board members are-to de-
termine $50 cases a day, is deemed I'M
possible
Some modification of the ruling is ex-
pected.
More and more men who have gotten
their ouestionnaires to date are COM
ing to the local boards to get the help
of members of the legal advisory
board.
Ready to Aid All.
The lawyers stand ready at all times
to help registrants, gratis, fill out their
auestionnaires. and all registered men
should seek such advice whenever 1t is
needed.
Representatives of state boards for
vocational education are gathered here
this week to develop a national pro-
gram for vocational schools, and in
the program is included a plan for
classes for selected men. Methods of
meeting the urgent need for imme-
date training of thousands of selected
men in the more than fifty occupations
in every branch Of the Army are being
considered.
1t is important that registrants
should notify local boards of changes of
address Thus they may avoid trouble,
says Acting Adjutant Donovan. for the
District.
In advising as to change of address,
registrants should notify the local
board of the division in which they reg
istered. not the one into which they may
have moved since registration day. The
original registration address should al
WAYS he given.