The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-02-22
Report OF military Committee OF
Federal Board OF Farm
Organizations.
Washington, D. G..

w A.tO',
sas February 8, 1918.
The Committee appointed to con-
slider the operation of the Selective
Draft begs leave to report as follows:
The object of the Selective Draft
is to place every man where he can
render the best service to his coun-
try, whether behind the gun or be-
hind the pillow. The farmers of the
United States must raise the food
without which we cannot win the
war. They desire to do their part
wherever the Government believes
they can contribute most to the well
fare of the Nation and to the victory
of democracy We are told that
food will win the war. By the
classification recently issued the
Government has announced it's de-
sire that skilled farm workers, farm
foremen, and bona fide farmers shall
remain at work upon the farm, be-
cause that is where their best SER
vices can be rendered.
Numerous cases have come to our
attention where the intentions of
the, Government are being defeated
by arbitrary rulings Of local and dis
'trict boards not in conformity with
the official classification.
Your Committee has been assured
that it is. the desire of the Govern
ment to correct any such mistakes
which are contrary to the desire Of
the Government and hurtful to the
welfare of the Nation, and has sug-
gested that the cooperation of the
farm organizations of this country to
that end would be welcome. Ac-
cordingly in pursuance to this sug-
gestion, and actuated by a desire to
support the Government in the wal,
and to render every possible assist
ance to the draft boards, we recon-
mend the following procedure:
The Government does not under
take to secure exemption for those
whom it prefers to have remain in
essential occupations, but leaves that
claim to be made by the registrant
in each case. Therefore in every
case where it is believed that men
likely to be more valuable to the
country upon the farm than in the
Army, as determined by the official
classification. have been wrongly
placed in Glass One, a careful exami-
nation should be made by duly APP
pointed members of farm organiza-
lions of each state, and steps should
be taken to bring the facts directly
before the proper officials. 1t
should be borne in mind that the
local boards do not pass upon occu-
pational claims, but as rule make
recommendation to the district
boards, which have authority to pass
upon all claims made upon the basis
of occupation.
Where district boards make a
wrong classification, request may be
made for the case to be reopened and
new affidavits filed fully. reciting the
facts if the evidence presented is
considered insufficient, or, under
certain conditions specified in the
Selective Service Rules, the decision
may be appealed to the President.
&. In the case of farmers the approx
mate amount of food that was grown
by the registrant in 1917 must be
shown, together with an estimate of
the amount that would probably be
grown in 1918. 1t is we'll also to
explain what the training of an ex-
perienced farmer actually has been,
and whether his services, in accord
ance with the official classification
and in the opinion of persons who
knew him, are likely to be more
valuable to the nation in food pro-
duction than in the military service.
Skilled farm labor is labor that
has sufficient knowledge and ex-
perience to handle farm team and
other farm live stock satisfactorily,
to handle farm machinery in salts
factory manner, and knows how to
cultivate the various crops.
w. T. Greasy, Chairman, Penna.
Ed. w. Mcnamara, New York.
Leslie R. Smith, Mass.
a-s q. A. Calvin, Texas.
John A. Simpson, Oklahoma.
Committee,