Evening star., 1941-06-25
District Draft Boards
Empowered 10 Defer
Men Over 28
Will Use Own Judgment
In View Of Pending
Exemption Legislation

Washingtons local draft boards
will be left to their own discretion
in deferring men over % years old
while legislation exempting them Is
pending, Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox,
District director of selective service,
said today.
National headquarters indicated
yesterday that boards throughout
the Nation may make their own de-
cisions in such cases, but added It
was without authority to issue spe-
cific instructions in the matter.
Gen. Cox said he would make no
recommendation, but that boards
would be within their right to defer
registrants over % If they 50 desire,
as far as District headquarters is
concerned.
Special Consideration Foreseen.
Opinion was expressed that boards
would continue to call up for induc-
ton these registrants, but would give
special consideration to cases Of Sc
lectees above this age limit when
they ask for deferment. Several Of
the boards indicated they would ex-
perience difficulty in filling current
quotas should the age limit be
clipped.
Passage Of the amendment, which
would make the lowered age limit
mandatory, appears probable, but in
dications were today that it will be
a week or more before Congress acts
on the measure.
Registration July / Of all youths
who have reached the age of 81
since last October will go far in
replenishing Glass IA reserves
| which would be depleted by the low
cred maximum on age.
To Reconsider Some.
A special order received today
from Third Corps Area head
quarters, meanwhile, will lead to
prompt reconsideration of selectees
rejected at Army induction stations
for temporary physical defects. The
order. drafted by Col. John B. Rich
ardson, corps area adiutant, was
aimed particularly at selectees who
deliberately disqualifv themselves,
and was prompted, it was under
stood, by frequent reports of such
action on the part of prospective in
ductees.
1t has been charged in the Dis
trict that there have been a num-
ber OF registrants who deliberately
contract gonorrhea TO avoid induc-
ton. Under the order received to-
day, such men would be called ND
for denomination when the Med
ical Advisory Board feels the regis
trants should again be classed in
la
Calls for Re-exsmination.
The order said: Where a Sc
lectee has been put in Glass Ia by
his local board and is sent to the
induction or examination station
where he is rejected as physically
disqualified by the Army Medical
Examining Board. and when it is
the opinion of the local board of
local examiners that the Selectee is
malingering or has self inflicted
Ocilpol diS pIySlCd4 ueleCLS, ne
should be ordered to re-examina-
ton by his local medical advisory
board, and when it is the opinion
of the advisory board, after careful
examination, that he should again
be placed in Glass IA and qualified
for active military duty, the corps
area commander will be notified of
these facts and requested to author
ize his denomination by the Army
Medical Board at an induction or
examination station"
If the selectee is found to be
qualified physically after this second
examination, the order said, he will
be inducted "and sent forward in
the regular manner"