New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-09-04
olice and Firemen
May Be Exempted
By New Draft Rule
Measure Discussed by Pres
ident, Crowder and March
in Special Conference
BY BRIGGS
Especial Dispatch TO The Tributc)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3. - General
Peyton c. March, chief Of staff, and
Major General Enoch Crowder, provost
Marshal and chief officer in charge of
the mobilization of the man power of
the nation, conferred with the Presi-
dent to-day on how far exemptions
and deferred classification should be
extended to men in industries.
The conference followed a series of
discussions between the provost mar
shall general and representatives of
state draft boards on the question of
applying the operation of the new
draft bill in a way that will have the
least effect upon industry and at the
same time provide the army with suffi-
cient men to make good the promise of
eighty divisions of American troops in
France by July I, 1919.
While no statement was forthcoming
either from the White House or Gen
erals March or Crowder, the conference
to-day is believed to have resulted in
outlining a programme which will call
practically for class exemptions in
order that the essential industries Of
the country will not be handicapped in
turning out the war materials needed
by the army in the field.
1t has been determined that the ad
visory boards to be named for utiliza-
ton as boards of appeal on questions
y ,1o
ton will necessarily have to have some
standards or set class of men between
the ages of eighteen and forty-five to
whom preferment must be granted.
While it is the desire of the War De-
partment to defer calling youths under
twenty years until the last hurried
survey of the industrial needs of the
country already has indicated that be-
fore January 1 inroads on the lower
ages of the draft will have to be made
if industry is not to be disturbed.
AS an indication of the necessity for
granting deferred classification to GER
tain men in the draft, the Provost
Marshal announced to-day that more
latitude will be allowed local boards in
exempting firemen and policemen. I'm
der this system highly trained fire
man or policeman need only file with
his QUESTIONABLE an affidavit signed by
the head of the municipal department
employing him stating that he cannot
be replaced without substantial and
material detriment to the public SER
vice of the icipality.
Rules To Be Announced
The provost marshal will soon an
nounce new regulations by which the
reg istration of the nations man power
may be accomplished as expeditiously
as possible The speed-up process will
be applied first to registration and then
to missionaries, and finally to the
classification and induction into the
military service of all in Glass L. The
public Will be asked to periodically CO.
operate with the War Department in
accomplishing the huge task of regis.
tering 100000 men of the nation
without a hitch, and subsequently, the
registrants will be expected to faciI-
tate the classification of each man bv
promptly and completely filling out the
missionaries.
Directions on how to register were
issued to-day by Provost Marshal Gen
eral Crowder to all regstrants who ex-
pect to be absent from the jurisdiction
of their local boards September II
1.-The obligation rests on you, and you
alone, to see that your registration
card properly made out, is in the hands
of your local board on or before regis.
tration day. the provost marshal eau
toned
For the convenience of those who ex
pect to be absent. and to obviate the
to register. the following ARRANGEMENT,
have been made by the provost marsha
general: