The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-03

Local and appeal exemption boards
 already have been appointed and the issuance of the regulations will per- init them to organize immediately and prepare for the concluding phases of the task of getting the men under training for duty in France.
 In the order in which they must come there are three steps in the organiza- tion process of the national army as prescribed by Congress. They are reg istration, selection and exemption. The first step has been carried through and approximately 1o,o00,000 men between 21 and 31 years of age have been regis tered. The regulations issued today cover in detail the operation of the third step, exemption.
 Information concerning the second step in the series, however, still is lacking and officials are guarding closely the method by which selection is to be applied.
 The exemption regulations announced that the boards will be advised of the selection process later, although none of the steps prescribed except the or ganization of the boards can be car ried on until the selection machinery has furnished the names of the men Iof whose fitness and desirability for tarnsu service the boards are to fudge. There is one hint, however, as3 how the selection machinery is to work. LOCAL BOARD
 The local boards are directed upon organization to take over from the registration precincts the cards and lists of the men registered on June and as their first duty to provide a serial number for each registration card. This has given support to the be- lief that the selection is to be by num-
 Der. Reports were current recently the selection drawing was to be made in Washington.
 Presumably the process of selection
 will be announced only a short time
 will be is not known. September l has been the tentative date set for calling the 625,000 of the first contingent to the colors for training. Progress with construction of the Is divisional can- comments for the troops will goven that action, however. It now is believed there will be no serious delay.
 The exemption process will not take a great deal of time. Regulations pro vide that decision in any individual case shall not be delayed more than three days by the local board or an additional five days where appeal is taken to the district boards. The whole process probably can be carried through in less than 30 days.
 NO SURPRISES
 There were no surprises in the ex. emption regulations The task of pass ing upon the individual cases is left entirely to the local boards. While the President reserves the right to desg- nate industries necessary for the public good, the question of whether reten- tion of any individual engaged in these industries is essential is left to the boards.
 While these steps are being carried out for getting together the men of the national army, the war department is making progress with the even more difficult task of finding officers for the force. Part of these will come from the 16 officers training camps. The first 10000 of the 10000 men at the camps will be selected for commissions in the first increment of the new army. That is less than half the number of officers necessary. The war department today approved recommendations of commanders of regular regiments