The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1942-05-28

nOuncement said that the United
States army would reach total OF
100000 men by the end of 1912
Since then, the actual size of the
army and precise plans for its expan-
sion have not been announced, mas
much as they are military secrets ot
the first order. Some commentators
have forecast that in time the army
might total nine or ten million. The
best available information seems tic
indicate that total of at least g.
100000 will be attained.
That is obviously going to have
a revolutionary effect on the man.
power of this country. However
there is no factual evidence to sup
port the scare rumors which say that
every physically fit man under SO is
certain to be placed in uniform. Sc
lective Service heads are making a
genuine effort to create an army of
the size needed with minimum dis
location of Amrican family life.
Here is how matters shape up at
this time, according to published
statements:
First, practically all available
single men in the 20-35 bracket have
been called. Many who We're given
temporary deferment for occupation
al reasons are now being summoned.
In, time, women and older men will
replace thousands Of young men in
defense industries.
Second, the Selectiye Service
Boards are placing in the IA CLASH
fication all men who have no gen
ui1le claim for dependency. That in
cludes men with working wives who
contribute little to support of their
tribute little to the support of their
households and men with means. AL
most all of these men will be in uni
form by the end of the year, unless
they are unable to pass the physical
examinations or perform vital work
in war industry.
Third, it is universally believed
that congress will soon approve a bill
providing government grants to de-
pendents of service men,. These
grants, as now projected, are small
around $50 a month for a wife and
child. But they will make it possible
for the SelectiVe Service Boards to
call thousands of men who are now
deferred for economic reasons.
Fourth, a new draft classification,
3-B, has been adopted. And that is
a matter of very great importance.
At the present time, men with gen
uine dependencies are classified as
ga. The 3-B classification is for
men with genuine dependencies who,
in addition, are employed in war
work. The hope is that thousands
of men who now have non-war jobs
will shift to war jobs, in order to OBJ
tain the 3-B defer1nent. Some OBJ
servers say that eventually the Sc
lective Service Boards will operate
on the work or fight policy which
existed in World War I. In other
words, a man will be given the
choice of going into the army, or
leaving a non-war occupation for
war occupation.
The industries which are classified
as essential to the war effort are
definitely limited in number. Law
yers, store clerks, neWspapermen,
wholesalers, advertising men, ETC.,
have no claim for defernent. Defer
ment is given only to men who hold
job which is directly and absolute
~ necessary to the production and
transportation of the raw and fin
islled materials which are involved
in war. -.
What this all adds up to is plain.
If you are a single man, under 36,
in reasonable health, you will go into
the army unless you are virtually ir-
replaceable in some war industry.
IF you have dependents who look to
you entirely for support, you will be
deferred for the time lbeing-but
there is a strong likelihood that in
time the continuance of your de-
ferment will depend upon your OBJ
tanning a job in war industry. If
You have minor physical defects,
you are not exempt from military
service. The original physical stand
ards have been relaxed, and men
with defective eysight, hearing, feet,
ETC., are being called to the colors
and assigned to non-combatant
duty.
MANY a problem remains to be
worked out. An army of 5000, 900
men would mean that four to six
times that number would be needed
in industries manufacturing and
and Transporting supplies. On top of
that, agriculture must be kept 60
ing, and on an expanding scale, in
asmuch as We are sending tremen-
dous quantities OF foodstuffs to our
Allies. Selective Service heads. such
as General Hershey, have advised
H TT