Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-08
CHANCE HERE FOR
REJECTED MEN TO
GET INTO ARMY
Draft Boards Get Permission
to Induct Men For
Second Line
BARS DOWN FIRST TIME
Order Permits Those Not
Physically Perfect to
Do Their Bit

harrisburg registered men who
are not perfect physically to-day
were given their first chance to en-
list in the Army following the re-
ceipt of a telegram by the state
draft headquarters from Provost
Marshal Crowder. The new ruling
permits men who have volunteered
and were rejected for minor physical
defects to enlist for induction
through their local draft boards.
The telegram to the State Draft
Headquarters is to the effect that To-
cal draft boards are to be author
lied to accept for limited military
service men who have been rejected
by their medical boards for slight
physical disability. The inference ar
rived at by the state draft heads
is that it is the beginning of a far
reaching plan to utilize every pos
sible draft registrant in some branch
of the service.
Authority given the local boards
is to induct the slightly disqualified
men in various branches of the
ground service of the Aviation
Corps. The authority lasts only to-
day, according to last nights tele-
gam, but the State Draft Headquar-
ters has wired to Washington for
notification regarding extension OF
the period.
NI'ny Branches Open
The branches of service open to
the slightly disqualified registrants
are for photographers, general en-
gine, automobile and machine me-
chanics, gunsmiths. typewriters and
other instrument makers; wireless
telephone and telegraph operators
and regular wire operators, awning
and canvas workers, inspectors of
gas masks and chemists with q COL
lege education and at least one year
of commercial experience.
During the first part of the week
automobile and truck drivers were
allowed to volunteer for induction,
but the desired quota of these chauf-
feurs was inducted, and the opening
for registered chauffeurs in this field
of service has been closed.
The photographers branch is not
open to men with all the physical
defects listed as minor" Men re-
jected previously because of ham,
mer toes, fiat feet, missing finger or
toe, slight defect in the hearing, un-
derweight, under height or poor
vision are eligible for the photog-
raphers' branch of the service. I'm
perfect vision must be corrected, by
glasses.
Local boards must receive permis-
sion from state headquarters before
they induct a man under the new
ruling which accepts registrants with
physical imperfections. The dis
qualified registrant who is eligible
for induction under the ruling re-
ceived last night, must also prove
himself to be carrying on in civil
life the occupation which he wants
to continue in the military.
State draft officials point out that
the ruling is not to be construed
that men who have been physically
disqualified for military service will
be accepted in the branches open to
the registrant by induction. 1t is for
men who have been rejected for
slight physical defections and classed
as fit for limited service. 1t also
gives the registrants who tried to
enlist previously to December ; and
We're rejected for slight physical de-
fects n chance to enter a preferred
branch of the service.
State draft officials explained this
morning that all inductions will be
deducted from Harrisburg's quota
when the next call for the draft
army comes from Washington The
quota, it was pointed out. will be
figured at Washington and the in
ductions taken into consideration
there. Officials here will have moth
ing TO do with figuring the quota.
All cases Of induction are wired to
Washington, so that they will be de-
Quoted from Harrisburg's quota.