El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-11-15
GOVERNOR LINDSEY
RECEIVES DETAILS
OF new SELECTNE.
SERVICE SYSTEM
Plan Outlined by Gen
Crowder in Letter to
Executive.
TAKES ONLY MEN
NATION CAN SPARE

Just what the new selectiye service
system will accomplish in the future
to get men to fight this nations war
for democracy is outlined by Provost
Marshal Z. X. Crowder in a letter re-
ceived by Governor Lindsey this
morning. 1t is stated that the new
system had been designed to correct
the errors of the former one and to
take only such men for the army as
the nation can spare. At the same
time, General Crowder points OUT
that the new law is not retroactive;
il it exempts certain men now in
civil life it will not take out men with
similar qualifications or defects from
the national army now in training. To
do so, General Crowder points out,
would entail enormous loss of time,
energy and money.
Summed up, General Crowder says
of the new plan:
Il think l could not express, and
feel that it will not not be necessary
to express to you, the vital import
ice and value to the nation Of the
undertaking upon which we are about
to enter. 1t will provide a constant
source of recruitment that will fur
nish men to the army without the
slightest delay and without any of the
haste and confusion that has been
necessary under the old system. It
will provide us with a complete in
dustrial census OF men between the
ages Of 81 and 80 and will enable
the nation to meet the problems OF
industrial, agricultural and economic
conservation with which we are
bound to be confronted. 1t will re-
solve the uncertainty that has been
imposed upon every registrant not
yet called for examination in a way
that will go far to compose the pub
lie mind and to stabilize economic
conditions in the nation. 1t carries
the selective principle to a scientific
application that is absolutely neces-
sary to the successful prosecution of
this war"
The general plan of the new sys-
tenn was outlined by the Associated
Press days ago, showing which class
of men will be drawn first and which
will be called last.
A feature of the new system is a
QUESTIONABLE to be sent to every reg
istrant who has not already been
drafted. This means mailing out a
document to over 100000 men.
1T is a great task" admits General
Crowder, "but the organization pro-
posed to accomplish it will render 1t
simly a large collection of small
tasks with an ample personnel to &C.
complish each"
After discussing the additional as
sistance to be given the governors OF
states, General Crowder outlines the
erection of legal advisory boards anu
how an especial appeal will be made
to the legal profession to assist Uncle
Sam in this war.
Medical Examination %simpIified
Admitting fronkly that the methods
Of physical examination under the
first system were not satisfactory,
the general says:
"The new regulations address
themselves to this fault and provide
a very systematic method for remov-
ing 1t. A preliminary examination is
to be made by an examining physi
clan of the local board and this, those
obviously physically disqualified win
be eliminated from the lists but, be-
fore the local board arrives at a de.
cision as to the physical qualification
of any registrant about whose quail
fications there is any doubt, the ply
steal examination Is to be conducted
by experts in the most exhaustive
manner possible"
Present Officials TO BE Retained
General Crowder compliments the
men who have served on local and
district boards, points out that the
knowledge they have gained makes
them invaluable for the future work
and adds that one Of the principal
purposes Of the new regulations was
to reduce the work Of members Of
these boards. Much Of the routine and
d~rudgery is to be done in the future
by compensated clerks. And as for
the men serving on the boards the
g plan will provide compensation
for the actual time given If the Of
ficial is financially unable to give
this time free.