El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-15
L PASo HERALD EDITORIAL and MAGAZINE PAGE
Improving The Draft Plan
(BY S. H.)

GRADUALLY the country is getting into its stride
and proceeds, the government is making certain
- changes which experience up to has shown de-
srabe An instance is the of the provost
marshal general Of decision to rely class No. Of the
draft fill up such incremens shall be called to the
coIors hereafter Class comprises unmarried men with
dependent upon them and married who do not
support their families It is the intention not to call any
Of the deferred classes unless class fails to provide enough
men, a contingency regarded unlikely This is it
should be.
The provost marshal general also is looking forward to
the registration of all young they q years
of age both those who have reached their majority since
the big registration Of last June and those who shall be-
of age in the future These young men, estimated to
number 100000 year, would be classed automatically In
class I, except such had wives other relatives de-
pendent upon them for support That also is as it should
be- Legislation by congress viii probably not be necessary
before such regtraons can take place though there is
some discussion that point
Practically exempting from the draft with depend
is action which the people of the country wish
had been better provided for in the first place The
tonal army contingent in environments contains too
many who should have been taken into service
than those whom it IS now proposed to exempt Inc quota
system partly responsible Local boards called
to furnish specified numbers Of and they were
expected to furnish them Often the quotas were too high
because of unusually large number of aliens and others
who could not be taken under any consideration The
boards hard put to to get their quotas and some
Of them took by really forcing assumption that
dependent wives sons daughters parents able to
living for themselves to part Of living and
exc ii out with the drafted mans soldier pay.
There are FL Pasoans service whose dependents ought
not to have been forced to the sacrifice It unjust
the and unjust their families to take them-unjust
to the government too, for with weight Of worry
about his family is going to make first class soldier
The local boards to be blamed greatly for
generally they proceeded conscentousy they could
really wanted infct little hardship possible
while carrying out their first duty which to provide
soldier material for the army. The plan much bet
ter II VIII have to be demonstrated that there not
enough in class before any others be called.
It is matter Of regret that Of the IN the
contingent N training who would fail in the deferred
casscatons be returned to cvar ife in order
TO the inequality when other Of status SINH
lar theirs exempted from service They cannot be
turned of course for to do would be to sorganze the
contingent
To make sure that men with such dependents are not
called while others with family responsibilities remain,
there should be registration not only Of coming u
years of age but also Of unmarried and those without
other dependents between 81 and As years who without
dependents. Thousands Of within those ages have
volunteered but have not and there why
they should not serve provided they not engaged in
essential work There IS to put all the load
the very young men, there enough of them
and the older VIII be needed If the lasts long
enough.
The men with dependents owe quite as much duty to
the nation those without and it is not for their
sake that they should be put the waiting list to
the extent Of possibly being called to enter the
military service Their dependents should neither be
rced the public forced to support them Since they
have to be supported that task should fan to those to
whom it belongs. IF the nations need becomes des
perate the point that family considerations have to be
sacrificed the with dependents will welcome the call
and pay whatever price duty may demand.