Evening star., 1940-10-11
Draft-AgeAides
To Be Permitted
On Boards
District, However,
Plans to Replace 5
Under-Aee Appointees

Under-Aee Appointees
As scores Of District draft board
appointees were taking oaths for
volunteer service today, an official at
National Selective Service head
quarters said appointees in Wash
ington and elsewhere found to be
within the conscription age limits
will be permitted to serve on the
boards as far as the national organ
ization Is concerned.
The Commissioners, however, in
dicated that the language of the
regulations - stating .appointees
should be" above the age limit
would be followed and that five
under-age appointees in the District
would be replaced.
Capt. Gareth N. Brainerd, acting
chief of the field section at national
headquarters, pointed out that an
above-age-limit status was not
strictly mandatory but that national
officials had hoped that no men of
draft age would be named to the
boards, under the general idea that
mo man should be in position to
classify himself or pass upon him.
self"
Governors Name Underage Men.
Several State Governors, it was
learned today, acted similarly to the
District Commissioners in recon-
mending for the draft boards some
men between the ages of 81 and SO.
|. This was done, Capt. Brainerd ex-
planned. because many Governors.
as in the District, prepared their
lists prior to the issuance of the new
regulations and on the basis of the
original Senate age figures of q
to 81.
Capt. Brainerd said that national
headquarters suggests that the Gov
ernors or the Commissioners might
want to replace" these draft-age
men with others, adding we will
not insist upon it,"
The theory on which this position
is taken at national headquarters.
he explained. is that the Governors
and local draft boards are given
wide authority and responsibility
which national selective service
does not wish to break down by
such a mandate.
Appointees Certified.
Stan assistants at local draft
headquarters in the National Guard
Armory were summoning appointees
today to sign acceptances, oaths and
waivers of pay, the latter involving
a formality in that service on the
boards is on voluntary basis.
More than 20 appointees had be-
come certified board members short
ly after noon and large number
had indicated their intention Of
calling by to take the oath later
this afternoon. Officials hope to
have the majority of the appointees
certified within the next two days.
Meanwhile. White House appoint
ment of "a examining physicians and
"a Government appeal agents. nomi-
noted yesterday by the District Com
missioners, was awaited by local Sc
lective service officials.
The nominations were forwarded
to President Roosevelt following a
conference between the Commits
sioners and Brig. Gen Albert L. Cox,
selective service executive, at which
personnel of the Registrants Ad-
visory Board was formally agreed on.
A group of assistants on the staff
of Gen. Cox were to set out today
to business addresses of draft board
appointees with certificates of noti-
flcation and acceptance. The as
sistants were empowered to admin
lister the oath of Office. Those ac-
cepting appointments. it was ex-
planned, are being asked to sign a
waiver of pay, as service on the
draft boards is on voluntary basis.
Organized Labor Protests.
The Washington Industrial Union
Council last night announced that
its Executive Board was protesting
failure to include a representative
of organized labor among the 120
Draft Board appointees The an
nouncement said that special COM
mittees were being appointed from
among the ranks of the Council ito
protect the interests of labor as
best we can" The committees, it
was said, will assist any of our
members OF draft age who wish to
register protests or appeals from
decisions of the boards"
Informed of the protest, Gen. Cox
commented that board nominations
were made "only after careful in
vestigation and thorough considera-
ton by the Commissioners"
He also pointed out that the Board
Of Appeals, yet to be announced,
will include representative of
labor, whose purpose will be to pro-
tect the interest of labor. Gen. Cox
added that this board represented a
concentration Of power not vested in
the draft boards.
Another protest came from the
American Peace Mobilization, which
charged that President Roosevelt
had impaired "a distinct semi-Fas-
cist note to the entire draft ma
chinery" by his appointment Of
Edmund M. Toland and Frank
Peckham to membership on Dis
trict Draft Boards.
A statement by the organization
said Mr.. Toland was an "anti-labor
counsel for the congressional COM
mittee investigating the Labor
Board" and Mr.. Peckham was pres
ident of the Sentinels of the Re-
public, q big-business front organi-
zation."
Advisory Board Personnel.
Members of the Registrants Ad-
visory Board named yesterday are
District Court Justice David A. Pine,
chairman; Spencer Gordon an at.
torney with Offices in the Union
Trust Building; Stanley D. Willis,
director and trust officer of the Ma
tional Metropolitan Bank; Howard
S. LIE Roy, an attorney with offices