The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-03-11

getunS urea OF
being accused OF
co.o-,, ,I.-.I OVERRIDING con-
scription, but he
doesn't propose 70 let anyone ur-
contradictedly profess the ability
TO influence him 10 underdo II,
either. Accordingly, he's co-operat-
ing with J. Edgar Hoover's Federal
Bureau Of Investigation at the task
OF running down an anonymous
outht which does make the claim
that II can.
Suppose a farm hand Is exempt
ed by his draft board. Does he con-
tinue working on a farm? Not a
bit OF II, II appears. Some factory
in his nearest city offers him so
much higher wages than agrtcul-
ture pays him that he quits his
rural Job and moves into town.
Maybe his new stunt is an indis-
possibility, too, so that he's still
militarily exempted, but that does
not help the farm employer he has
tust left. That the latter is in a
bad FIX isn't disputed, but it's not
selective services fault. The down.
town industry that hired the farm
er's erstwhile assistant is response
bic for II.
What the farmers really need Is
a selective service Of their own--a
system Of drafting chaps TO till
their acres
Farmers Subsidy:
II probably would be darned un-
popular, though-making the Sc
lectees toll on the land, with higher
pay clamoring for them in the
cities everywhere. Perhaps a con-
gressional appropriation Of a few
billions, to make up the difference,
would solve the problem. But that
hasn't been suggested yet.
Anyway, General Hershey's bu-
reau is tired Of being panned for
situation It Isn't guilty Of and can't
remedy.
1t can and does tell its side,
nevertheless.
The birds who represent them
selves as able to obtain exemptions
haven't been conclusively identified
at this moment OF writing. They
don't sign their names 10 their pub
LEFTY literature, but they broad
cast considerable Of II, and some Of
It has fallen into the government 5
hands. That's what started 1t on
their trail.
They call themselves an organi-
cation OF some sort, and say they're
in touch with powerful folk in
Washington. who'll do their liking
for them-at price. OF course.
They even mention some Of the
powerful folks" names.
Naturally those named haven't
been disclosed by the Investigators
yet, partly because it may be the
alleged organization Is lying about
them, and partly because disclosure
would be premature now. anyway
II the schemes q fake. at best
It's a shot at obtaining by false
pretenses from anyone who falls
for IT, II it's a genuine article, Il
involves a conspiracy to rullify the
selective service act for subscribers
TO It, severely punishable Grim
nal ofense.
Catching the would-be volators
Is the business OF Attorney General
Biddle's justice department
through Chief Hoovers inveStiga-
ton bureau; not Of the selective
service outfit, which Is concerned
with administration, not enforce
rnent Of law. It obviously Is OF
lively interest TO General Hershey,
though. and he's lending all the aid
he can to Ed Hoover in digging in
10 the matter.
Many Toes stepped On
The fact Is that selective service
realizes that its activities are Of
nature 10 step on a great many
toes-not only the toes OF selectees,
but Of their relatives and selectees,
friends also, and. incidentally, the
toes Of quite a few seekers after
selection, who. for one reason or
another, are disqualified for bellig.
erent servics and consider them
selves unjustly Disseminated
against by exclusion from Uncle
Sans armed forces. There's SYM
patty for them, but not FOR the
would-be dodgers.
It's possible that. as coplcusly
charged, Washington's several hun
dreds Of departments, agencies, bu-
reaus, administrations, commits
sions ard other assorted services
have total larger STATS Of press
representatives than the govern
ment needs. ! wouldn't say that Sc
lectiye service has an excess OF
them, however. That's a service
that has an unlimited quantity Of
explaining to DO, and It's press
spolsesmea pull OF pretty fair Job.