Evening star., 1918-08-24
|DRAFT EXTENSION
|MPER|LS ACTIVITIES
Workers for Red Cross, Y. N.
C. A., Government and Other
Involved Organizations.
RELIEF MAY BE FOUND
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright. 1918. by the New York SEvenini
Post Companyo'
Extension of the draft ages to en-
brace men between eighteen and
forty-five years of age will include
SO many workers for the Red Cross,
liberty loan. war savings stamps.
Y. M. C. A.. Knights of Columbus. the
district and local boards of the selec-
tive draft machinery itself. as well
as income tax workers, that some
policy must soon be evolved to pre-
vent the disruption OF these necessary
activities which after years ex-
perience have finally created smooth
working organizations.
The provost marshars Office admits
that this is one of the toughest nuts
it has to crack The question already
has been raised by the widespread
gagged in these activities to enlist or
try Tor commissions in the training
camps.
Henry P. Dawson. chairman of the
Red Cross war council, drew PreSi-
dent Wilson's attention to this per-
PICKING ETODlCuu III d. fCSChl
Mr.. Wilson's reply gives some inkling
of what the government would like
to do, but it does not reveal the gen.
eral rule which probably will be fol-
lowed.
President Extends Hope.
But, first. it is worth while to ex-
anime the text of the Presidents let
ter to Mr.. Dawson. In which he said:
II hope that the action we have taxi
en- in the matter of voluntary enlist
ments will help little in the solution
of the difficulties created for the
American Red Cross by the probable
extension of the draft ages. If the
government does the selecting 1t can
select with 8, due regard to the in
terests of all services, whether within
government or without. whereas If
we permitted men liable to be drafted
to rush in and supply for and obtain
commissions, there would be chaos. in
deed.
"As the American Red Cross is such
an important auxiliary to our armed
forces, and is already extending re-
lief, not only to our people at home
but to the peoples of the nations as
sociated with US who are suffering as
a result of the war. I hope that every
man connected with the work either at
home or abroad will have a full ap-
probation of its Importance and will.
If possible. continue to render service
other and clearly more Important
duty" ss-- Z eas-
Draft Boards Affected.
The draft boards themselves have
been working hard during the past
year. Many clerks and assistants. men
whose familiarity with the thousand
and one different cases that come up
is absolutely essential to the efficient
and Just administration of the new
law, will themselves become eligible
for the draft.
Strictly speaking they are not
part of the Army machinery. for 1t
has been the governments plan to
keep them a part of the civilian ma
chinery of the government through
out the states and cities of the Union.
They are. in fact. as vital to the sue
cess of our war program as the many
thousands of clerks and assistants in
the staff corps in Washington and
elsewhere. The same principle holds
good with respect to the knights OF
Columbus and Y. NJ. c. A. which are
recognized by the government as i'm
portant auxilfartes.
Under the original selective service
act, deferred classification was given
to men essential to industry Now
the law will embrace those engaged in
useful occupations. and certainly the
quasi-war activities are useful oc-
cupations nowadays.
Exemption for Select Men.
Therefore it will devolve upon the
heads of these civilian war organiza-
tions to comb their personnel care
fully and select the men they abso-
lutely need to carry forward their
work. Deferred classifications-can be
asked for these men by the execu-
tives without involving the individual
in any claim for exemption.
But it will have to be proved that
each man for whom deferred classi-
fication is asked Is absolutely essen
tial and that 1t will work hardship
and serious injury to the organization
itself to endeavor to replace him.
Undoubtedly the services of women
will come more into demand. In
England 1t is estimated that nearly
so per cent of the war work at home
is being done by women. There are
many war activities which are now
being handled by men between the
ages of thirty-one and forty-five
which can be taken care of by women
as well as by men over forty-five who
have not yet bestirred themselves to
the Importance of giving some of
their time to the government.
Deferred classifications there will un-
doubtedly have to be for many en-
ployes of the draft boards. else there
would be serious interruption and
embarrassment in the machinery when
the gain in man-power by an abso-
lutte rule would be negligible. But 1t
would not be surprising to see the
government appeal soon to men over
forty-five to come forward together
with the women Of all ages to do
war work and release the able-bodied
men for the all important task of
winning the victory next year.
pERIWhN hRMV REu0I 7