Evening star., 1942-09-02

certain instances irrespective of
their dependency or marital status
when the administration itself did
not know how many single men
without dependents or how many
single men in non-essential busi-
nesses were available-is a mystery
into which Congress might we'll in
quire.
Discrimination between citizens in
time of war is the most serious Of
tense that can be charged in a de-
mocracy against officials in position
Of authority. That there has been
discrimination between age groups
and between classes and that the
whole Selective Service operation
has in many instances worked inius-
tice Is not ameliorated by the fact
that in the majority of cases the
local boards have been fair or that
In majority of the instances there
have been no determinations.
Letters Cite Faults.
Letters are piling up showing that
the Selective Service Administration
either does not know of the injus-
tices or else it is so swamped with
the details Of its job that it has not
yet corrected the inequities and in
justices.
The principal criticism OF the Sc
lectiye Service administration is
that it has failed to make Nation
wide pool of classes so that the citi-
zen would be assured of fairness on
every side.
The Government Appeal Agents
Association of Essex County, New
jersey recently passed resolutions
condemning the Determinations
arising out OF the quota system and
also declaring that since most regis
trants have been classified and de-
ferments considered without the
personal examination of the de-
pendents or the employers, provis-
ion for such personal consideration
Of each case be made.
Differences In Boards.
vernon Dennaan, chairman Of a
local board in Des Moines, Iowa,
writes under date of August %:
"A survey Of the seven local
boards which have their head
quarters in this city was made this
week by a reporter for the Des
Moines Tribune to determine the
Interpretation of the several boards
on the question as to whether they
had right to change the classical
ton Of ga to Glass la and then
forward these men for induction.
'"Tt1e wide difference of opinion
Is appalling and I still maintain it is
not the fault Of the local boards and
1t is chargeable only to the Office OF
the national director. 1t is shame
that such conditions are allowed te
exist"
From Birmingham, Ala, w. v
Bartlett, comes this letter:
AS board member, can attest
fully that what you have written is
. fact. Such a vital and importan,
law as the Selective Service Act, af-
fecting the lives Of millions of Amer.
leans and the production of very
much needed war materials, shoule
have been regulated with most care.
ful and weighted thought-both BY
national and State directors and ad,
m1nistered with the same unbiased
freedom and thought by local boare
members"
Many letters are coming from
local boards. too, which say the,
know nothing of any injustices ans
that criticism of their work is un.
founded. But for every letter from
. local board that insists the act ha,
been administered fairly come /,
times that number from citizens il
other parts of the country who hav,
been aggrieved by what they con
slider unfair treatment. Certain
local boards are aghast at the ide;
that employers aren't called person
ally in for information on occupa
tional deferments, but on the othe
hand there are other letters whicl
show that technicalities and eva
sions are responsible for denyin
hearings to those who should hav
had them.
Nor is it easy to understand tn
case, for example, of the man VIII
owns and operates his own busines
which the War Production Boar,
said was vital but who is now force,
to close down because he has bee,
unable to train a successor within