The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1917-06-14
WEAKLINGS BAR,
RED IN DRAFTING
Physical Requirements Fer Sc
Iective Force Will BE of the
Strictest kind. Drawinx
Soon 10 Commence

eminent plans to begin drawing by
lot the young men who registered
last Tuesday for the selective draft
To obtain the necessary number of
soldiers, estimated at from COO, 600
to 100000, it probably will be neces
sary to draw 100000 names from
the 100000 registered.
As soon as the names are drawn in
the various states the wedding out
process will be undertaken by the
local and district exemption boards.
On Physical Grounds.
The first elimation will be on phys
ical grounds The men who's names
are drawn by lot will be sent at once
to the examining physician, who will
determine the physical fitness of the
subjects for army service.
There will be no weaklings in the
armies sent to France. The flower of
the nations youth from a physical
viewpoint will be selected to fight
the battle for democracy. 1t will be an
army of athletes.
In determining physical fitness the
examining physicians will observe the
strict standards that have prevailed in
the American army for many years.
AS result of the enforcement of these
physical regulations an average of
only one in four applicants for enlist
ment in the regular army is accepted
OF Higher Physical Grade
| 1t is estimated, however, that the
young men who have registered for
the selective draft will be of higher
PHYSICAL grade than those who have
sought enlistment in the army hither-
to and that less than SO percent will
measure up to the required standard.
With the existing army regulations
applied to the selective draft it may be
said that the recruit is chosen from
two points of view:
First, the United States as an en-
ployer. Does he have the necessary
intelligence and the required educa
ton to make good soldier? BY educa
ton | refer to his command of the
English language and his apparent
ability to understand and carry out
commands.
The Physical Fitness
| Second, the physicl qualifications of
the recruit. Has he sufficient physical
endurance to carry out the daily
routine of soldier, and has he, or can
he develop sufficient reserve force to
stand up under the strain of unusual
physical exertion? No matter how
well soldier serves during what
! ho h
he is worse than useless if he becomes
an additional burden to the army dur
ing the periods of unusual stress.
In general, to pass the examiner the
candidate must be reasonably normal
in appearance. Even the layman can
understand that an army of cripples
would be poor army. A perceptible
limp in one private in company will
ucceed in putting the other men out of
step, thus making the march much
more difficult for the entire company
The applicant must be able to carry
his rifle and packs, to kneel, to shoot,
and in other ways to perform the
movements required of a soldier in a
normal manner. A slight stiffness of
a joint, if it does not interfere with
his duties, does not disqualify.
The man must not be Objectionable
to his terminates. For this reason skin
diseases, even if harmless, are dis
| Qualifying. Even the simple acne, or
pimples, if severe enough to be posi-
lively disfiguring, may serve as a bar
to acceptance. In the same way I'M
| H. IL
cruit Objectionable to other soldiers,
are considered disqualifying.
| The general diseases which disqual-
fly require only brief mention. The
acute diseases, such as acute pronch-
tis,typhoid fever, measles, scarlet
fever, malaria, and many others, may
act only as a temporary bar, the en-
Indeed, in some cases, if the condition
is mild and permanent disability I'M
likely (for example, mild influenza)
the applicant may be enlisted and
kept in the hospital until cured
OF the chronic diseases, tuberculosis
Bright's disease, chronic heart disease,
and chronic veneral diseases are the
most frequent causes of disqualified
ton.
His Life and Training.
| In such cases the medical officer de-
termines the desirability of the ap-
plicant by deciding whether in his
opion the recruit will in the future
suffer disability as a result of the ex.
listing ailment, the decision being
reached after consideration of the an
plicant's previous life and training
If an applicants suffering from
any form of pulmonary tuberculosis
or any other form of chronic debilitat
ing disease, he is rejected even if HI
is the most prominent athlete incol-
lege and is otherwise in excellent phy
steal condition.
The reQuirments have been careful