Evening star., 1941-04-18
Draft Agent 10 Advise
Smith S Son 10 Appeal
I'D Classification
Boord No. 8 Chuirmon
Says Senator lntereeded
In Deferment Case

Leonard A. Block, Government
appeal agent for Local Draft Board
No. s said today he would advise
Ellison D. Smith, jr, son of the
Senator from South Carolina, to
appeal from his I'D, student, selec-
tive service classification.
The agent added. however, he did
not plan to take The case before the
appellate board On his own initiative.
1T obviously is debatable whether
young Smith is necessary in his
occupation as clerk of the Senate
Agriculture Committee, Mr.. Block
said, and it seems to me in fairness
to all concerned, the appeals board
should hear the case. However, ]
don't think it is the type of case
I should appeal as Government ap-
peal agent, but more one which the
registrant himself should appeal"
President Won't Comment.
President Roosevelt declined COM
ment today on the controversy over
refusal of the draft board to grant
deferment to the son of the Senator.
The Chief Executives declination
came when he was asked at a press
conference if he feared any un-
favorable reactions to the draft
through bad publicity" The ques-
toner explained he had the Smith
case in mind.
In answer Mr.. Roosevelt said he
could make no comment on specific
cases because he felt it would be
unfair
A charge that Senator Smith did
intercede TO an extent in the selec-
tive service classification of his son
was made yesterday by Chairman
Davis G. Arnold of Local Draft
Board No. 8.
Senator Smith had issued a state
ment bitterly attacking character
assassins anxious to smear" his
name through publicity given the
draft boards refusal to grant his
son a class deferred rating and
said it was unprecedented for a
draft board to lend itself to a mur-
derous assault" He denied asking
for his sons exemption and said
he did not appear before the draft
board.
Mr.. Arnold said that after the
draft board had placed the Sena-
tors son in class l Senator Smith
sought a conference with Mr.. Block
in the Senator's office at the Capitol
The deferment was sought for young
Smith as an employe necessary" in
his civilian job.
Block Sees Senator.
Mr.. Block explained that he went
to Senator Smiths Office after the
latter phoned him, and that after
a discussion he had come to the
conclusion there was some merit
in the claim" for deferment Ac-
cordingly, he said, the letter which
subsequently was signed by II Sena-
tors and which requested deferment
for the Senator's son was suggested
by Mr.. Block.
The requested deferment was
based on the grounds that the Sena-
tors son, as clerk of the Senate
Committee on Agriculture and
Forestry, had knowledge and ex-
perience of the committees activi-
ties which made him necessary to
that body.
Mr.. Arnold said that in testifying
before the local draft board young
Smith said he was "the clerk" OF
the Senate committee. The Con-
gressional Directory lists c. Alfred
Lawton as the committee clerk and
names Mr.. Smith as one of seven
assistants.
According to the record of the
testimony, in answer to questions,
Mr.. Smith said he was the clerk,
however; that Mr.. Lawton was en-
ployed in another capacity, and that
the only help he had on committee
work was a stenographer.
Sees DenunciatiOn Unreasonable.
Mr.. Arnold said he saw no rea-
son for the harsh tone of Senator
Smiths statement and that the
board had done nothing to call forth
such denunciation.
The board, he said, considered the
case only on its merits and took no
special recognition of the fact that
the registrant concerned was Sena-
tor Smiths son.
THE real issue of the case is
whether Mr.. Smith can be placed
in class 2 as a necessary man. We
did not consider that he could be
so classified" he declared.
THE board, however, is not infalh-
ble," he said IF we have come to
a wrong conclusion the case can be
appealed"
Mr.. Arnold pointed out that if the
case is to be appealed the registrant
must pass physical examination
under the regulations of the Selec-
tive Service Act. If he passes, the
appeal can be heard. II, however,
he does not pass the examination,
he will be placed in class lie, as q
student At only for limited military