Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-29
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

A QUICK glance at the selec-
tive service administrations
record to date indicates that it is
going forward efficiently and
well and with general popular
approval.
When you stop TO consider
that what we are dealing with
here is outright CONSUMPTION
supposed to be in direct conflict
with our Anglo-American tradi-
lions of democracy and personal
freedom, this condition speaks
volumes for the excellence with
which the job has been handled.
This is a cause of understand
able satisfaction to this writer.
because the whole system fol-
lows without many important
changes the plans and policies
worked out by an error during
the World War.
The biggest causes of dissatis-
faction are army medical reiec-
tons after draft boards accept
ance and the lack of uniformity
among the thousands of local
boards in taking or deferring
married men.
In this respect the law leaves
Mr.. Dykstra with less discretion
than we had. The fact of actual
dependency of wives and chill
dren rather than the fact of
marriage is made the deciding
circumstance.
Where the wife and husband
both have jobs. is she depend
ent"? Where the wife and hus-
band have ample income apart
from his work. is that depen-
dency? Where the husband is a
no-good bum who never took
the trouble to support his fam
lily, should he escape service on
the ground that he is married?
IF THE answer 10 such ques-
L tions is left entirely to the
local boards, there is bound to
be a very wide difference in
result This created the tough
est problem in the World War
draft also. 1t makes more noise
than the facts warrant. Then
there were As million married
registrants. Four million four
hundred thousand, or 90 per
cent. were deferred
Many of those not deferred
had no claim filed for them
either by themselves or their
wives. In hundreds of cases
wife would drag some worthless
loafer in and demnad that he be
taken.
After all, under the classical
ton system as il was worked out
in 1918, none of these men was
excused from the draft. They
were only deferred in favor of
taking first all men who had no
family ties whatsoever. A man
who had only wife who was
not necessarily dependent would
not be taken from her while
there were available single men
without dependents, except in
the case of recent hurried mar
riages obviously contracted TO
avoid the draft.
A MAN with a wife and child
"A who were not dependent.
would not be taken until all sin
gle men and all married men
with non-dependent wives but no
children had been called.
A married man. whether or
not he had children. who didn't
support his family, was classed
as single man and one who
was dependent on his wife,
rather than she on him. was in
class by himself which by the
famous work or fight" order
was finally put first on all lists
for immediate service.
This problem created some
very amusing situations and the
most poetic justice of the draft,
but that flexible classification
finally worked to universal salts
faction. To the extent that ii
can't be repeated under the pres
ent law. the law should be
amended to permit it.
What is the use of retracing
old errors when a better way
has henn 90 nXhaIIstiNnlu rarnNnd