The Nome nugget., 1942-03-18
No Group Or Glass Deferment
 Can be Made Except By Congress

Emphasizing that group class deferment from military service be made except by Congress- Brig Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, Director of Seecve Service ' told press conference that three basic facts must be kept in mind in interpreting any statement concern ing the operation of Selectve Service These he said
 
 l. No group class exemption or deferment can be made in addition to those exemptions specifically stat ed in the Act.
 2. deferment because of occupation can be grant ed only to individual by his own local board and all deferments provisional subject to withdrawal and given only to serve the National interest not the registrantS interest
 3. Three things must be proven by individual seeking deferment by his local board (a) That the particular business, industry, or profession in which he is engaged necessary in the War Production Pro-
 the work he, personally, is doing is essential to it's gram for national health safety interest (b) that functioning and (c) that there is no supply from which a replacement can be secured.
 "A particular fact to keep in mind when interpreting any memorandum concerning deferments issued by National Seective Service Headquarters or any an nouncementS by other agencies, group spokesmen or individuals, the General said lis that neither the Di- rector nor anyone else in the Seectve Service SyS- tenn, except local board, grant deferment to an individual and that group or class exemptions can be made except by Congress"
 Memorandums issued by his office General Hershey said, merely advise State Hdqrs. and, through them, local boards of findings and views of those National Gown. departments and other agencies which have direction and supervision over the Nations war eff fort The sole objective, he declared to facilitate coordination of local with national action They are not mandatory in any of the word he asserted, and could not be under the law.
 Further, the General pointed out, should local board msinerpret any National or State Hdqrs mem orandum and so base an individual deferment the Selective Service System provides check through the Government Appeal Agents who are appointed for every local board the recommendation of the Gov ernor Of the State The Government Appeal Agent rep resents the Government and is in duty bound to take
 the necessary steps to bring about proper classification when he does not believe regstrants status is clear y proven also any person offering evidence that anu deferred classification is not in conformity with the law can request the State Director or National Direct or to appeal to the President
 The only exemptions of groups or classes of regis trants Gen Hershey pointed out are specifically pro vded In the Selective Training and Service Act and apply to certain National and State officials incllldno members ot Congress, certain members of the Diplo- matte Corps and certain of their alien attaches and employees and ministers and theological students of established religions.
 Any other registrant seeking deferment from miI tary servlee he asserted must apply for it througb his local board, Also deferment because of occn patton can be made for longer than six months. when 1t must be reviewed and each local board is charoed with the duty of keeping constant scrutiny of each regstrant It has deferred and of reclassifynp him al any time the reason for his deerement ceases o exist