Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-20
APPEAL BOARD
SPEEDING WORK
No. 2 Disposing of Lists
More Rapidly Than New
Names Are Sent In
NEGLIGENCE IS DENIED
Local Bodies Imputation of
Slackness Resented by Super
visory Authorities

Draft appeals and industrial claims are
being disposed of rapidly by District APP
peal Board No. 2, twice as many decisions
being passed on every day than are cur
rently presented, according TO Walter VIII
lard, chairman Of the board. Today it an
nounced the disposal of fifty-nine cases Of
personal appeal and industrial claim, Of
which ten were discharges granted, nineteen
were temporary discharges and thirty were
certified for military service.
The district board has been considerably
incensed over statements attributed to local
board members that there were many back
cases of appeal that Il had allowed to drag
on without passing upon, thereby delaying
the certifCation of men and causing the
calling of men out of their turn. Today the
board sent n letter to Local Draft Board
No. 0, the members being c. L. Harper, d.
Gimbel and DR.. J. wanamaker, stating that
the records of the district appeal board fail
to show such a condition.
The District Appeal Board challenges the
local draft board TO produce the serial
number and name Of any case undisposed
of by the former board that were filed prior
TO September 15. If such cases can be
found Mr. Willard says they will be given
immediate attention.
BOARD DENIES NEGLIGENCE
The letter further requests that, in order
TO facilitate the proper certihcaton Of
names, tue local uTdII bOdTu nave All ttI-
tifcation lists and sheets forwarded by it
distinctly dated.
James j. Ryan, a member of the district
appeal board said today that there might be
isolated cases that had passed the notice of
the board, but he explained that such con-
dtlon could only be possible through in
advertent misplacing of the card folders
containing the individual data during the
initial period of inexperienced clerical ham
ding and at the time of moving from the
Postofiice Building to the present quarters
Of the board. Walter Willard, chairman of
appeal board will meet by appointment
members of any local board at o'clock
every afternoon,
No more parties, lengthy lunch hours or
laughter during business hours are to be
allowed henceforth in the clerical force
of District Appeal Board No. 2, special
set of rules having been handed TO the en-
ployes by the chief clrek, Bronte Green
wood today. Considerable incipient rebel
| lion has lately broken out among the force
Of n score or more stenographers, clerks
typsts and interpreters as to who was boss
and why one person should be allowed to
stay out longer or come in later than the
others.
Hereafter, 80 a. m. to ; p. m.," are the
regular hours, subject to being held for
overtime, for which twenty-five cents an
hour in addition TO an allowance for sup.
per money, is to be paid. Failure to IRE
port at the front" in case of arrival later
than o'clock will not be tolerated, and
the lunch period is fixed at three-quarters
of an hour.
"You are to stay on the job at all times, "
the notice adds, "and not have party
with another employe, as has been the prac'
tice at times and which must stop at once.
DRAFT BOARD ASKS FUNDS
Unless check for $3.50 is received soon
| from the draft headquarters at Harrisburg
| Edward f. Swift, chairman of the local
draft board for District No. 8, said today
! he will not expect his clerical force to work
| any longer on the draft certifcations, thus
| tying up the entrainment of the next SO
| per cent quota from that section scheduled
for october 81 and November 2.
Mr. Swift asserts that $4,000 has been
| distributed from Harrisburg among the dis
trlct appeal and local draft boards of the
| city, but that his board has not seen any
| of it. He says that he has written twenty
| letters TO Harrisburg but the only answer
| he has received is to the effect that the
| money will be sent Immediately. He has
| not received the money, although II was
| promised month ago. he added.
Mr.. Swift explained that he has paid $3.50
| out of his own pocket 10 keep the clerical
| force going, consisting or two clerks, three
| stenographers and seven doctors, used from
| time to time. He promises to stay at his
| post himself and null over the papers,
but he cannot expect the assistants to serve
| without pay.
| He says he has done everything possible
| TO secure reimbursement, having sent il
| requests and requisitons on every blank
| and voucher form that he knows about, al
| to no avail. He says that one of his clerks
has been on duty since June 5 and has re-
ceived but $40 that he gave him.
| II think this is the limit" concluded Mr.
| Swift, for the clerical force has worked
very hard, and long hours, and certainly
deserves to be paid for their services espe
cially If other boards in the city have beer
paid"