Evening star., 1942-08-26

he in turn has ~ -
delegated 1t to David Lawrence.
the selective service headquarters
here, but Mr. Roosevelt probably
doesn't have any means of checking
upon the efficiency of the draft
officials who are managing the Sc
lective service system. This means
that it is extremely difficult for the
true state of affairs to become
known to him or for mistakes to be
corrected. Not single public re-
port on the operation of the quota
system is available.
But apart from questions of ad-
ministration, wherein local draft
boards say one thing, the national
headquarters say something else and
unfairness is frequent, the matter
Of national policy is even more of
puzzle.
Inconsistent Within Groups.
Thus the law permits the Presi-
dent to issue regulations putting
citizens in groups or classifications
Of any kind, whether of age or in
dustry or geographical location.
For many months Senator Taft
Of Ohio urged that the draft head
quarters should establish some diff
ferentiation between the different
classes of married men and now at
last something of the kind has been
developed. But it is still mystery
why the national draft headquarters
Is permitting married men below
the age of 80 or even 35 to be con-
sidered on the same footing as men
Of 40 to As.
Plainly, the older men, especially
those with children, have a different
status in that younger men are not
only physically better qualified but,
If there are children, the chances
of wives being employed or being
able to have the children stay with
grandparents or relatives is far bet
ter with the groups under 80 than
those between 40 and As.
Another inconsistency is in the
handling of the 18-to-20-year old
age group. Assuming the war is go
ing to last two or three years more,
these boys will surely be drafted
Is there any reason why Congress
shouldn't order that their training
be begun now? Should they be per-
mitted to start jobs in various in
dustries and then be deferred later
as necessary employes"7
If 1t is the selective service policy
not to draft the 18-to-20-year-olds,
then why do both the Army and
Navy keep on recruiting every day
boys from that category If they are
not too young to be drafted, why
are they not too young to be ac-
eepted by either the Army or Navy
on a volunteer basis?
No Check on Looseness.
Another policy that is difficult to
understand relates to occupation
al classifications. Draft boards
are saying categorically, 1--WE don t
defer lawyers" 'or else they say,
I'VE won't defer any newspapermen, ~
and so on through the various oc-
cupations and professions, disre-
garding the specific memoranda
which national headquarters have
circulated stating that it is not any
particular profession which makes
deferment possible, but the specific
relationship of the individual to a
necessary business or industry
There is no checkup on such loose
ness.
Brig. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, head
Of the Selective Service System
threw monkey wrench the othe,
day into all calculations on the part
Of industrial executives by stating
that very, few men were fireplace.
able" and that all married mer
should be prepared for the call. He
is right in the literal application Of
that term, but he forgot that 9
large number of men with specia
skills are irreplaceable now because
Of shortages and that adequate
training cannot be given substi.
tutes in the limited amount Of tim,
available to beat Hitler with weap
ons that are needed by 10000, 900
man Army.
1t might be better to fight with
an Army of 100000 men full,
equipped than to lose with an Arm,
of 100000 men poorly or PARTIAL,
eouipped-and that's the real ques
tion of policy that is being neelecte,
by the -that-be.
Take the question of discrimi
nation as between selectees. On
local board calls married men Will
single men in nearby locality ar
not called.
Explained as Accidents"
Asked for an explanation, offlcial
say these are accidents of the quot
system but as yet no corrective pro
vision has been made for regions
quotas to iron out these inequalitie
and prevent essential men fror
being drafted while able-bodie'
non-essential men are available.
Fully 225 900 men, for exampl
have volunteered their services
the Army Specialist Corps. Presun
ably they have adjusted their famil
situations as to dependency or mac
arrangements for substitutes in the
businesses. Here is a ready-mac
group, but the Army has announce
an objective of only about 13,0(
places to be filled and 1t Is believe
that less than 5000 have actual
been called for to date by the 9TH