Evening star., 1940-12-03
State Se|ective Service
Directors 10 Meet in
Farley on Problems
Uniformity Of Operation
Through U. S. to Be One
OF Conference Goals
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES'

In an effort to straighten out any
snarls in the selective service system
which may have developed during
the first months of its operation and
to promote SmoothnesS and uni
formity in recruiting the Nations
defense man power, national head
quarters has summoned all State
directors and their procurement
officers to meet here December IL,
it was announced today.
The conference will continue for
two days. The District will be rep
resented by Brig. Gen. Albert l..
Cox, selective service executive here,
and officers of his staff.
The agenda of the meeting will
include an interchange of views on
all problems that have come UP
since selective service was launched
with the registration of more than
100000 men. Among these prob
ably will be difficulties encountered
in classification and physical exam
1nation of registrantS; the rate at
which local draft boards have been
able to carry on their eXacting
duties: problems connected with the
induction of selected men into the
Army, and financial phases of the
big mobilization program.
Will Be First Gathering.
1t will be the first time the State
selective service directors have gath
cred since they were appointed.
With the first trainees in camp
and others to follow in gradually
increasing hcrements. the regional
officials of the system have had a
chance to witness its entire opera
ton, from registration to induction,
G. A. Dykstra, director Of selective
service, pointed out.
At the outset, Mr.. Dykstra ex-
planned, 1t was necessary to throw
together a vast organization to re-
crult men for the national defense.
I'VE have Witnessed" he added,
the surprisingly smooth function
Ing OF this huge system. However,
as was to be expected in the course
OF its initial operation, many prob
LENS developed. While none of these
has been of a fundamental nature,
and the majority were readily solved
by the State and local boards in
volved, it is desirable for the uni
formlty of the entire system that the
experience thus gained should be
applied to all sections of the country.
Since State procurement officers
are in direct contact with the finance
and supply section of national Sc
lective service headquarters in the
Administration of authorized eX-
penditures, Mr.. Dykstra said, they
also have been invited to the con-
ference to discuss finances.
Psychiatrists to Meet.
Meanwhile a group of leading
psychiatrists was called to meet here
Thursday to discuss mental phases
of the physical examinations of
selectees.
The group, Dr. Dykstra said, will
plan series of conferences through
out the United States to serve as a
"refreSher' course for physicians
attached to local draft boards. 1t
is hoped to standardize the psychi-
atrlc examinations which are part
OF the routine tests given prospec-
tive recruits.
Those invited to attend the con-
ference Thursday include DR.. Win
fred Overholser, superintendent of
st. Elizabeth's Hospital; 1t. Col.
William c. Porter, Walter Reed
Hospital; Capt. Dallas G. Sutton.
Naval Hospital; DR.. Howard Potter.
Bellevue Hospital New York; DR..
Harry A. Steckel, American Psychia-
trio Association; DR.. Martin Cooley.
Veterans Administration; Frederick
Osborne, chief OF the Civilian
Advisory Committee on Selective
Service: DR.. Roscoe Hall, St. Eliza
beth's Hospital; Dr. Harry Stack
Sullivan, White Psychiatric Foun-
dation; DR.. Wendell Muncie, John
Hopkins Hospital; DR.. Ross Chap
man. Sheppard and Enoch Pratt
Hospital, Towson. Md, and Col.
Charles B. Spruit. General Head
quarters, Army War College.