Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-10
WAR HELPERS
GET GET PLACE IN
DEFERRED LIST
Bankers, Red Cross Officials,
Etc, Affected by
Ruling.

The United States Official Bulletin
Of September 4 contains the follow
Ing statement from the war depart
ment which Is of especial interest to
bankers in this city as we'll as to men
holding important positions in the
Red Cross and kindred var auxiliary
activities:
The raj department authorizes
the following from the Office Of the
provost marshal general:
Bankers and persons engaged In
other occupations and employments
not heretofore regarded by district
boards as warranting deferred CLASH
industries may now claim deferred
classification on the ground that
thss' work is necessary to the nation
In b present emergency.
Amendments to New Act.
":An amendment in the new man
power legislation : recently passed
changed the provisions: Persons en-
gagged in industries. %iucluding agri-
cultural so as to make it read: Per-
sons engaged in industries, occupa-
tons, or employments including agri-
maintenance of the military estab-
lishment or the effective operation Of
the military forces or the mainten-
ance of national interest during the
emergency
"'The effect of this is to enable
necessary persons in occupations or
employments to make claims that
employments that the district board
may find necessary to the mainten-
ance Of the military establishment or
to the maintenance of the national in
terest during the war. Thus, in other
words. has been removed the danger
Of a too narrow construction of the
word industries which many district
boards in the past have construed az
excluding bankers. those engaged in
commerce. n those engaged in var
lous other occupations.
More Latitude for Boards.
Under the amendment, for exam
pie, district boards may find that GER
tain men holding important positions
in the Red Cross and kindred activ-
ities,' or men engaged in public health
work, are engaged in occupations or
tenance of the military establish
ment or to the maintenance Of the
national interest and for that reason,
are entitled, to deferred classification.
Elm making claims of the kind the
persons concerned may max use Of
those parts of the QUESTIONABLE re-
lating to, claims for deferred classifi-
cation on the ground of being en-
gagged in industries, including agri-
culture"
1t has been generally felt that
bankers who have been active in the
matter of the sale of war saving
stamps, Liberty a bonds and other
financial matters for the welfare of
the government, and men who have
been active in prominent positions
in h Red Cross and other war &C
t%ivities, should be left in their posi-
lions. Otherwise serious confusion
might result with consequent loss to
the government through the inef1-
cheney in those activities if new men
had to be pressed into service. In
other words, the men who have been
active in these matters are supposed
to be Of more value at the present
time to the government in continuing
such activities thai in entering upon
some new line Of service.
The idea of changing the-form of
the QUESTIONABLE so that the draft
boards might place such men in de-
ferred classes ever without a claim
being made was preached in the con-
g~ressional committee but dropped be-
cause of the act that the question
naire a already been printed and
distributed. 1t has been suggested.
however. that where men who should
claim deferred classification because
OF the facts referred to in the COM
munication from the war depart
ment, refuse to make the claim, that
the wife or other dependents or their
employers hould make the claim.