Evening star., 1941-06-24
Hershey Urges Youth,
Of 10 Respond 10
New SeIective Call
Deputy Director Tells
Of Induction Process
In Stur Radio Forum

Brig. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, dep
uty director of selective service
discussed The Present and Future
of Selective Service" in an address
broadcast in the National Radio
Forum last night. The forum, ar
ranged by The Star, was broadcast
over a network of the National
SBroadcasting Co. 1t was heard
locally over Station WMAL.
The text of Gen. Hershey's ad-
dress follows:
0r One short year ago the United
States was beginning large scale
preparations for its own defense.
~lc A year ago the Gallup poll showed
that approximately one-half of the
-people of the United States be-
heved that we should enact a Sc
lective training and service act.
- Nine months ago after period
of discussion and study the Con-
gress passed and the President
Asigned the Selective Training and
Service Act of 1910. A month later
on October Is, 1910, more than Is
million young men presented them
selves for registration Two weeks
after registration the national lot
terry was held here in the Nations
Capital to determine the order in
which the Nations manpower would
be selected for service.
20 The process of classification and
: selection was begun Immediately.
And just two months and two days
after the selective service law was
enacted the first contingent of citi-
zen soldiers marched away to camp
for year of military training in
the service of their country.
- 1t is most reaSSuring to know that
- the Gallup poll a few weeks ago
Showed that SO per cent of the in
dividuals interviewed felt that local
boards had performed their duties
IN a most acceptable manner.
A. There seemed to be no section of
. the country in which this great ma
jority of supporters were not in
existence. No section of the coun-
try studied by the Gallup poll gave
less than 81 per cent of favorable
opinions for the administration of
selective service.
-. The manner in which selective
service has been accepted by the
American people is a testimonial to
the patriotic and excellent service
rendered over these last several
months by some hundred and fifty
thousand volunteer workers who are
the backbone of the selective serv-
ice system.
Praises Draft Boards.
= do not recall any other occasion
In American history when so large
a group of individuals over so long
a period of time gave such unselfish
patriotic service as has been
rendered by members of local boards,
appeal boards and advisory boards.
medical examiners and Government
appeal agents.
I shall be so bold as to say that
to a large extent the accomplish
7ments of the selective service system
have been brought about by the fact
that the type of service given by
these men is immeasurably higher
than we should be able to purchase
II we were buying the labor at the
cost usually paid, for services of this
nature.
The exact number of individuals
in the land and naval forces who are
there because of selective service
!. cannot be accurately calculated. In
fact, 1t never will be known. because
in addition to those who have been
selected for induction there are
many others who have enlisted for
three, four or six years in the Army
Navy and Marine Corps due to the
fact that the Selective Service Law
places the liability for military serv-
ice upon all who are between 81
and 36.
We do know, however, that by
July l of this year more than 100000
young men will have been inducted
into the Army of the United States
through selective service process.
They have been inducted in a man.
ner which is, am sure, most salts
factory to the Army in general. I
have heard many very f1attering re-
marks about the quality and the
type Of the individuals who have
come to our Army through selective
service.
Physical Conditions Shocking.
While it is true that the Selective
Service Law was passed in order to
procure men for our land and naval
forces, selective service involves
many things much broader than the
mere procurement of men.
1t is far too early to attempt to
evaluate the service which has been
performed for the Nation by the
physical examination of a large
number of our young men in con-
nection with the selective service
process. The general physical con-
dition of Americas young men as
revealed and deliberately publicized
by selective service has deeply
shocked our entire Nation. 1t is
indeed a cause for disturbance, for
study and for action when we must
reject almost one-half of those who
appear for examination. 1t is true
that many of the defects are not
of a nature which prevents man
from carrying on many of his
normal activities 1t is likewise true
that many of the disabilities are
such that they can be corrected if
adequate measures are taken. 1t is
also true that reasonably high
standard is maintained in our ex-
aminations, however, it is a stand
ard which is little, if any. higher
than should be maintained by a
healthy citizen.
If the selective service had done
nothing more than to emphasize
the necessity for remedial and i'm
mediate action in connection with
the physical disabilities of our citi-
lens, it has thus justified its ex-
istence and is worth many times its
cost to the Nation.
The decision as to whether or not
an individual is fit for military serv-
Ice is decided on the basis of the
standards of the service to which
he is sent Up to the present time
the selective service system has in