Evening star., 1941-06-24

civilian occupations. In some of
these cases they were rejected by
the Army induction boards. This
created an unfortunate and regret
| table situation. After making ar
| rangements to be absent from home
for period of a year they found
1t more than a little embarrassing
to return home shortly after de-
parture, having been rejected by
the Army doctors.
The Selective service system is now
engaged in an experiment in two of
our larger States. In these localities
the physical examination is given
well in advance of the induction
date. That is, the final physical ex-
animation by the Army is given
sufficiently in advance of the date
of call to enable the individual
to have sufficient time to complete
his personal arrangements prior to
the date of his induction. He will
not be compelled to make these
| arrangements if he is rejected and
he will know that he is sure to 90
if he passes the physical examina-
ton given by the Army Examining
Board.
The selective service system is
most anxious to cooperate in every
way possible to the end that the
individuals who are rejected by the
examining board may be speedily
and completely rehabilitated. Some
of them will be able to take up ac-
tive service in the Army. Un-
doubtedly many will always be
compelled to restrict their activities
but it seems reasonable that practi-
cally all of our citizens who have
been physically examined because
of selective service can better their
physical conditions if they apply
themselves to that purpose.
20 Per Cent Had Dependents.
The selective service system is also
attempting to establish among our
people an understanding of physical
standards as a guide to those who
in the future will be called upon
to accept their responsibilities in
connection with military service in
our land and naval forces. 1t seems
that there should be established
among all our people feeling that
each individual should put forth
every possible effort to make him.
self physically fit to render service
to his country.
Approximately 10 per cent of those
vino have been classified have been
deferred because they have depend
ents This is most difficult field.
In the first place, it is a field in
which no two cases are ever alike.
There is every possible type of varia-
ton in the problem of deferring or
not deferring the individual because
others are dependent upon him for
support. For the purposes of dis
cuSSion, dependents which have
caused us difficulty may be divided
into three classes, with a possible
fourth. In the first place, there are
those who have married since the
passage of the act or since registra-
ton, or since their classification.
There is feeling on the part of
some that the fact that these men
have recently been married is prima
facie evidence that they were mar
ried to evade military service.
The selective service system does
not believe that Congress ever in
tended to prevent registrants from
marrying The selective service
system does not believe that it was
the intention of Congress to place
unnecessary distractions in the way
of those who desire to marry. 1t
is also true that Congress did not
expect that registrants would evade
military service by obtaining de-
pendents through marriage. The
solution of the problem rests with
the local board and it is the duty of
the local board to weigh all peril
nent information and facts pre-
sented by the registrant in order to
determine whether or not the de-
pendency was assumed for the pur-
pose of evading service.
Working Wives Problem.
In the national interest, regis
trants must not be deferred for
what is obvious evasion-clear
evasion-of their duty. Working
wives who have created many prob
lens for local boards, appeal boards
and national State headquarters.
Wives who are earning separate
incomes furnish very difficult
problem. The decision must be
made as to whether or not they
are in fact dependent upon the
registrant. This is matter which
must be settled in each individual
case on the basis of the facts in
that case. The local board must
remember that the law has said
that the dependent must depend IN
fact upon the registrant for sup
port in a reasonable manner from
income which is earned by the
registrant. On the other hand, it
undoubtedly was not the intent of
Congress to seriously dislocate
families already in existence simply
because the wife was contributing
some part of the common budget.
Another situation which has created
some problems for selective service
is the case in which the registrant
or his dependent has some small
sum in savings. These savings per-
haps would be enough to support
the dependent in some manner for
year, but they represent an ac-
emulation over considerable time
and if exhausted, would be an end
to the savings.
We have had q relatively few. but
a few, cases In which the wife was