New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-03
Rejection of Some Ex-
emption Claims Raise
Average
Out of 100 in Good
Health in 8 Districts
New Tests Planned for
Disqualified; Net Out
for Skulkers ,,s

New York. pictured in premstursly
compiled statistics as q city Of physical
wesklings, hard put to IL to raise its
quota for the National Army, can show
clean bill of health to-day.
For the first time, after q day dur
ing which thousands Of registrants
streamed through the medical mills OF
the draft. figures are at hand which
may fairly be said TO represent the city.
In' neighborhoods where the rich
dwell and neighborhoods where the
poor exist, in neighborhoods where
aliens abound and neighborhocds
American TO the heart, dozens Of local
boards were at work, sitting out the
fit from among the unfit.
New Yorks Figures Normal
When the figures csme from these
boards last night, the answer they gave
was that New York 10 normal.
After an inspection Of twenty exsmp-
ton boards yesterday Deputy Attorney
General Roscoe Conkling announced
that rs per cent Of those drafted had
been passed as good soldier material.
Statistics derived from the returns OF
ffty-one districts hst night showed
this to be q rather high estimate.
About 81 per cent of the conscripts so
far have been accepted by the board
physician. or these many will qualify.
Other data drawn from the reports
of the ffty-one exemption boards are
only temporary, and, while they show
the way in which the tide Is foving,
are not absolutely certain. Many "a
turns did not give tho number claiming
exemption. and in more cases the nurI
Der ready to fight was omitted.
From these uncertain figures IL ap-
pears that 46 per cent of those passing
the physical examination ask for ex-
emption and that 81 per cent Of the
number called are ready and qualified
to bear arms. Rejected exemption
claims will swell this figure.
Four of the boards visited by Mr..
, Street and Seventy-seyenth Street,
from river TO river-were not examin-
ing. Eight of the rest, considered by
good health and sound wind and limb,
good eyes and good ears, among the
registrants.
The average was brought down By
two boards among the other eight
whose reflections averaged close TO 80
per cent.
War Department statistics have II
that In New York City no less than
seventy men TO the hundred should
have the physical foundation upon
| which to build soldier, it Is under
stood. And there has been quite
clear intimation that where the local
boards have not found this average 20
work out, the medical examiners are
probably hewing a little too closely TO
the line laid down in the regulations
To Challenge Disqualified
That the government will challsnge
the disqualification Of number OF men
who already have been turned down on
physical grounds is assured.
Just so will the Federal authorities
carry up 10 the district boards the
cases where the dependence Of wives
and relatives has been alleged in the
filing of exemption claims. Local
boards will be looked to do no more
than catch the obvious fakes. There
will be no haphazard granting Of dis
charges because a man looks honest
and his affidavits seem 10 be in order.
Every claim will be looked into, as
is now assured. Part of the govern.
ment's method for checking up vas
revealed in Washington dispatches last
night, which report that Federal
agents have been appointed TO serve
with each of the 1867 local exemption
boards among whose jurisdictions the
nation is divided.
Round Up of Slackers Planned ;.
With the announcement Of the iP-
pointment came an appeal TO the gen
eral pubic-particularly to rsg.strsnts
we'll toward the end Of, the list, whose
own rights are violated every time .
man ahead Of them wriggles out OF his
duty-to aid in the Stacker round up
with any information concerning fraud.
Not only will the Federal agents sp'
peal dependency cases, but they will be
on the lookout for all sorts Of ruses
which may be employed to deceive the
boards.
The ruling. in which the appointment
OF the agents is disclosed, was said in
Washington advices 70 have been sent
/ 20 district boards Throughout. the
! country" II so. the postofhce will have
hard time delivering the ruling des-
J tined for New York City. For since
/ Governor Whitman forwarded to Wash
! ington a couple of weeks ago his
nominations for the district boards Of
I the state, which will have primary
/ jurisdiction over industrial exemption
cases and sit as appellate courts in
| others, no more has been heard Of
| them.
Situation Is Embarrassing
In a way the situation is becoming
embarrassing. To comply with the
regulations the two boards which sent
out their notices Of call last FRIDAY
night-Nos. l42 and 16a-must hand
over 10 the district board some time
to-day a certified list OF the regis.
trsnts who have been examined and
found neither physically disqualified.
! exempted nor discharged. Likely
enough the lists will be ready-bus
whore 10 the district board!
For the city district board Gevsrref
, Whitman made thirty nominssiesl..
among them that Of Charles y.
Hughes. Meier Steinbrink. OF Bro It
'lxp, anothsr aeniass, sss~aed fsso