The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-16
From Camp Dodge
Says North Dakota Sent
Physically Unfit
NOT BORNE OUT
BY STATISTICS
State Has the Smallest Per-
centage of Men with
Dependents
CBy Associated Press.)

Camp Dodge, Ia, Jan. 16.-Investi-
CATION of methods used by local
draft boards of North Dakota in Sc
lecting men for service with the ma
tional army division here, is to be
made by the military authorities, 1t
! was learned today.
This follows assertions that many
men entirely unfit for service or who
had dependents at home were sent
| to Camp Dodge with the first incre-
ments.
Four officers divided into two
groups have been instructed to visit
towns and cities in North Dakota
ito investigate the methods used in
selecting drafted men, to advise the
members relative to the physical ex-
aminations made and instruct them
in the manner OF procedure" &C
cording to special orders issued by
Brigadter General Getty, command
ant.
Bismarck, N. D, Jan. 16.-The
district board Of North Dakota to-
day strenuously disclaimed knowl-
edge of any conditions warranting
such charges or calling for investi-
cation.
The board has no information Of
laxity upon the part of any local
board insofar as the holding Of men
is concerned.
ties have been lax in discharging or
exempting from military service
men who should have been held.
Complaints to this effect have been
filed against Wells county, where ii
is alleged that of the first $50 men
examined, 200 were exempted from
service.
CAS- matter of fact" said Judge
Luther E. Birdzell, chairman of the
district board, Statistics prepared
by the war department show that
North Dakota's meG4cal inspections
were remarkably thorough and that
the number of men rejected at camp
for physical DISQUALIFICATION was
unusually low, and so far as the
sending of men with dependents is
concerned. these same statistics
place North Dakota at the bottom
Of the list, with only eight per cent
OF its select service men noted as
married, or with other possible de-
pendents, while the percentage I'M
some states runs as high as 49,"
1T is purely a matter of routine,
implying no criticism whatsoever
on North Dakota's local boards"
said Adjutant General Fraser. I'VE
were advised of this proposed in
spection some time ago, and thel
itinerary for the medical officer as
signed to this state has been pre-
pared. The department is sendingI
such officers to every state to con-
fer with the local boards and advise
as to physical examinations. North |
Dakota had fewer men rejected be- |
cause of physical disqualifications
than probably any other state in the
union, unless it was South Dakota.
Cass county sent 25S men. and every /
one Of them was accepted at camp. +"
A conference on examination and
selection Of drafted men" between
Captain S. M. Edison Of the nation
al army and the members of the
Cass county selective draft board, |
will be held at the Fargo court
house Friday, Jan. Is.
A telegram to this effect was re-
ceived by w, r. Tucker, clerk of the
local board, from Captain Edison
this morning. Nothing further was
stated in the message. The clerk was
Of the opinion that the conference
will be in the nature Of an inspec-
ton.
There have been no complaints
made to the members of this board
which have not been given our care
full attention" said W. r. Tucker.