The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-05-22
BUCKEYES VIEW
OF DRAFT HAS
Been ENDORSED
Men Who Have Received
Induction Notices Are
Not Affected.

Major John Buckley, representa-
tive of the war department in Con-
necticut, has prevented what might
have been one of the most confus
ing situations that has ever appeared
in the draft work of the state since
the Selective Service Regulations
first went into effect. His action al
lows the increments which are to en-
train on May % and "a to remain
practically intact, and so eliminates
the chaos which would have come
had the new physical regulations re-
Gently received from the surgeon
general and the adjutant general of
| the war department been applied to
the present draft.
Sunday evening communication
was received from the war depart
ment, saying, that no registrant with
hernia of any kind, poor teeth, or
feet which could not wear the army
shoe, or which could not bear any
weight, was to be indicted into the
National Army.
J 1t is apparent that if this order
was to be followed, many selectives
who were to leave the latter part Of
this week, would have to remain at
home, all physical examination
cards would have to be re-examined
and the men with such physical de-
fects ruled out, additional men would
have to be summoned and would
have but one or two days in which
to arrange their affairs so that they
might go to camp on the prescribed
date. With the receipt of the sur
geon generals telegram, local boards
Immediately went to work, and the
greater part of the forenoon and af-
ternoon yesterday was spent in pick
ing out selectives with physical de-
fects and arranging new lists for the
May "a mobilization.
All three Hartford local boards
had the work practically completed,
and were ready to send out to the
men who were rejected at this elev-
enth hour, notices telling them that
they need not report as ordered.
4 Major Buckley, however, detected
a technical point, and by using this
he believed that it would be possible
to have the lists of men who are to
go remain as before. He contended
I that a man is in military service
from the day when he receives his
notice telling him to report for duty
on such and such a day. In other
words, a mans military career does
not begin the minute he boards the
train for camp, or the minute he re-
ports at the local board office for fl
nal instructions, but it begins the
minute the postman deliver to him
the Hold yourself in readiness or
der.
AS these men had received their
notices a week ago, he thought that
they could not be touched by an ex-
post facto law. OF course the new
physical regulations were to apply to
any registrants who were to go with
the present quota, but who have not
yet received their induction notices
but registrants who had such notices
some days ago were exempt from
this latest ruling. Major Buckley
thought.
He telegraphed his Interpretation
Of this order to Provost Marshal
General Enoch H. Crowder and ask
ed for a ruling, Late yesterday after.
noon an answer was received which
agreed that the Connecticut War De.
partment representative was - right
and that men who had received mo.
bilization notices, even though they
had hernia, poor teeth, or unservice.
able feet might be sent to camp.