Evening star., 1918-02-23
DRAFT MACHINERY
ABOUT UP TO DATE
"America Will Never Again
Find Itself Unready," Says
Gen. CroWder.
CLASSIFICATION COMPLETE

America will never again find itself
unready, Provost Marshal Generai
Crowder declares in a communication
sent today to local draft boards
throughout the land, on the eve OF COM
nIetion of the great task, of classif1ca-
ton of the country's 100000 regis
trants.
"The local and district boards are
about to complete the erection OF an
army-building machine the IKE OF
which is unknown in the worids MIS-
tory" Gen. Growder says. PROM II
will come the armies of the future, ana
this country will never again ma IL
self unready. The men who have puiit
it have toiled night and day for many
months: their work was not such as
could be measured in money.
The main duty OF local ooaIds neneu '.s,,
forth, the provost marshal states. Will
be the recla ssification of men whose
status may change to such degree as
TO entitle them to be transferred from
one class to another, or to CLASSIFY suen
men as either have failed to register or
who NAV hereafter be required to reg
lister.
Have Completed Classification.
Local boards of the District practical
ly have completed classification OF the
1000 local registered men. ana poafa
members were wondering what next.
"Some $4,000 citizens compose these
boards" Gen. Crowder's statement de-
clares land it was recognized early
that the government must ADOPT Some
policy which would enable these men
10 assist it in its hour of need, yet not
take unfair advantage of their patriot
ism to their business and hnanclal
loss"
To this end the regulations calling
for classification were planned ana put
into effect.
with this work completed. the local
boards have finished the great task.
says the order. They will be asked
now to supervise only the drawing OF
Army units from their respective COM
munities"
But the main duty of the boards, as
stated, will be the reclassification of
men whose status may change.
Will Be Largely Mechanical.
Mobilization duties will be largely me-
chanical. according to Gen. Crowder.
lected men, the making of lists and the
securing of transportation should be
performed by the clerk of each board.
When large detachments are entrain-
ing one member of a local board will
be asked to be present as representa-
tive of the board.
When the classification is complete
the duty of board members will be SUI
pervisory and general. and no more
onerous than that imposed on members
of town and city councils and the like"
Gen. Crowder declares, in the state
ment to the boards.
From time to time specific tasks
will be imposed requiring more time
and effort. as, for instance. the possible
registration and classification of men
who have attained the age Of twenty
one since June S, 1917.
when such specific tasks are re-
quired compensation will be provided
for those who must require 1t. At
other times there will be no serious
demands on the time of board members,
and hence no compensation will be pro-
vided."
It is suggested by the provost mar
shall that, where possible, a member of
the local board shall act as the chief
clerk Of the board, although 1t should
be said here that clerk hire will be
closely regulated in a short time based
upon the actual registration of a local
board