New Britain herald., 1918-06-07
Believes Thousands of Men,
Now i'm Lower Classiica-
tions, Should Be Eligible
for Service.

Washington, June "A general re.
vision Of classifications under the Sc
1ectiVe service act was started today
by Provost Marshal General CroWder,
when he telegraphed to the governors
OF all states ordering investigations
to determine the reason for the small
number Of registrants in Glass l in
some localities.
The lists of some boards show an
average far below the national aver
age of 2S.7 per cent registrants in
Glass I. Some boards even have
fallen as low as 10 per cent. Thou
sands of men now in Glass 4 should
be put in Glass 1 and 2, the provost
marshal said
The instructions also ordered in
vestigations to determine if any men
have been enormously put in the
upper classes when they should have
been placed in those lower down,
1t is expected that the re-arrange-
rent will bring into Glass / more
than 100000 men.
Cases where registrants were mar
RED after passage of the draft act
will be carefully considered, and if
evidence warrants classification in
Glass /, boards will proceed to re-
classify them. Married men whose
wives have sustaining incomes prob
ably will be re-classified.
This office has reached the con-
ciusion,'' said the provost marshal,
that corrective procedure can be
made most effective by revision by
the local boards with the hearty and
active assistance of government ap-
peal agents and members of legal
advisory boards.
You will, therefore, issue in
structions that they shall immedi-
ste1y proceed to a careful examina-
tior Of al the Questionnaires and
records in the classes of cases here
ina fter indicated and make such rec
ommendation to the local boards as
they may deem necessary.
Local boards, government appeal
agents and members Of legal advisory
boards should direct special atten-
ton to the following classes Of cases:
"Class 2 A and B; Glass A. B, G;
and Glass A. Thousands of regis.
trants are now in Glass 4. who
should be in Class or Glass 1. Gov
ernment appeal agents -. should
be instructed to appeal every case
where their classification is not con-
vincingy correct.
'"The activities of local boards, APP
peal agents and members of legal ad-
visory boards, is not limited to the
classes of cases above Indicated to the
the same corrective measures should
be applied to all other cases of de-
ferred classified ton when the sam
appears necessary.
Local boards should set aside a
special week in June to be called
Glass 1 week to conduct examinations
of doubtful cases Classif1cations
should be scientifically adjusted now
so as to avoid the necessity of pro-
'ceeding to the deferred classes. The
remedy is yours to apply.
1T is important also that correc-
tive procedure should be applied
where necessary in case Of boards
showing unusually high percentages
Of Glass /. Where there are no ap-
parent explanations for such high
PERCENTAGES, you should make inquiry
Of the proper boards with a view to
ascertaining whether the boards have
correctly applied the regulations.
also instruct all local boards to
re-examine under the new standards
Of physical examination now being is
sued all doubtful cases which may
have fallen into group B, group G, or
group ID with the particular purpose
of finding men physically fit for gen
cral military service, who may have
been placed in one of the above mem
toned groups ana OF removing group
c as qualified for special and limited
military service, $uHh men as may
heretofore have been totally rejected
or placed in the referred remediablc
group
Provost Marshal General Crowder
announced today that the class of
1918 registrants will not be allowed
to enlist in the navy Or marine corps,