Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-06-14
FURTHER CHANGES IN
DRAFT REGULATIONS
DEFERRED CLASSIFICATIONS TO
BE SCRUTINIZED CAREFULLY
UNDER NEW ORDERS,

Provost Marshal General Crowder
this week sent orders to every local
and district draft board to energeti-
cally re-examine men exempted or
placed in deferred classes, to deter
mine the reason for a scarcity of
class men.
The action was taken because a
large number of counties and states
fell below the 27.S per cent average
of class l men. Washington, how
ever. Is not in this list.
Re-examination will be directed
particularly at those who have tried
to enter the navy to evade the draft,
sO-called "sticker" shipyard workers
and men in other classes. who have
been granted special privileges be-
cause they claimed they were en-
gagged in necessary war work.
To Scrutinize Glass Nv.
Thousands of registrants are now
in class 4, who should be in class 2,
or class l." Crowder's instructions
say. Government appeal agents
must present all facts to the local
board for the purpose of obtaining
quick action.sbut should be instruct
ed to appeal every case where the
re-classification Is not convincingly
correct. Their activities should not
be confined to the classes enumerated
above. but the same corrective meas
ures should be applied to all other
cases Of deferred classification when
the same appears necessary"
The heavy drain on class l men by
the May and June calls and those
planned for the summer is indicated
in Crowder's statement that "classi-
fications should be scientifically ad-
justed now SO as to avoid the neces-
sity of proceeding to the deferred
classes"
This would tend to confirm the
growing indication that all class l
men will be in service or training
before the end of this year, and de-
ferred classes will have to be tapped
to keep up the reserve until new
registration of 21 year olds can be
made.
The small number of class men
in some states and counties was due
largely to the number of voluntary
enlistments there.
Other Changes Planned.
In addition to these instructions,
to meet the great demand for men.
Provost Marshal General Crowder
has drawn up new regulations which
carry revolutionary changes in the
processes Of the draft law as now
administered.
With the crisis now on in France
hundreds of thousands Of additional
men are wanted very much in ad-
vance of the time it was anticipated
a few weeks ago, their services would
be required. The new regulations
among other things propose to re.
woke the deferred classification grant.
ed to all men of draft age who have
married since May IS, 1917, the date
of the final enactment of the select.
i've service law. The regulation ts
intended to bring all these men into
class Al regardless of previous clas'
sifications. 1t is estimated that II
Will UucCC more Lusdu SVV.VVV uCu
throughout the country.
Further the regulations provide
for very much restricted interpre'
tation of dependency.
On the basis of the present de-
mand, the provost marshal's office IL
confronted with the prospect thai
class Al as at present made up will
be completely exhausted we'll before
the first of next year. The govern
ment, it can be stated on authority
is not going to permit such situa
tion to eventuate.
The information indicates a rigor
GUS execution of the flight or work
issued by Provost Marshal Crowdel
last week. 1t stated that the purpose
of the government, dictated by the
urgent necessities of the situation
is to interpret literally the term non
essential, and to require that all per
sons engaged in non-essentials seel
some other occupation or go to s
training camp.