Evening star., 1942-08-09
June 80 Registrars
For Draft Will Get
Navy Recruit Letter
D. c. SeIective Service
Permits Copying
Of Rolls for Drive
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.


The 1900 District youths who
registered for selective Service
June 80 will get letters from the
Navy Recruiting Station here de-
failing attractions of service with
the bluejackets, it was learned
yesterday.
Local selective service headquar-
ters not only knows about the Navy
recruiting drive among the 18, 10
and 20 year olds on its lists, but is
helping that branch to the extent of
providing the local board lists.
This new wrinkle in Navy recruit
ing wasn't the idea of selective serv-
ice, but they agreed to allow the
recruiting station to copy the lists
on the ground that it saves a lot
of trouble if boys who are going to
join the Navy anyhow do it now
instead of waiting to enlist when
they get their notice of induction.
Eleventh-hour enlistments in the
Navy, it was explained, not only
force local boards to do great deal
of processing for nothing, but also
upset arrangements the boards have
made to fill their quotas.
Navy Asked Permission.
A selective service spokesman said
the Navy asked permission to copy
the lists at the draft boards. Actu-
ally, they could have done 1t with
out asking permission since the lists
are public information. The draft
spokesman said an agreement had
been reached whereby recruiting
station sailors could copy the names
at draft headquarters.
The only condition was that draft
headquarters would be permitted to
see what was sent out to the youths.
OF the 1900 youths who regis
tered June 30. only the 20-year-olds
are Immediately liable for service
under the draft with the younger
men becoming eligible as they turn
20. However, the 18 and 10 year
olds, with their parents permission,
can volunteer in any branch of the
armed forces.
Won't Keep Records.
A Navy spokesman pointed out
that there's no selective service in
the Navy" and that all the letters
were intended to do was make the
youths think of the Navy, too"
The recruiting station has no per-
manent record from these lists since
the sailors were instructed only to
address envelopes from the names
and addresses on the list
No attempt has been made to sort
out the 20-vear-olds but the Navy
spokesman said no particular effort
will be made to 60 after men whose
Army induction is imminent. That
doesn't keep the Navy from accept
ing such men if they volunteer.
The picture is that we're out
after manpoWer and we're doing
everything to get it as fast as we
can" Navy spokesman declared.
The reason we're doing this is to
call the attention Of these men to
what the Navy has to offer
Mention of the Army Is scrupul-
ously avoided in the letter. Besides
the mimeographed letter there is an
enclosure from the Navy Bureau
of Yards and Docks urging enlist
ment in the construction division
"Seebees", the men who build the
advance and mobile bases outside
the continental limits of the United
States.
Navy's Selling Talk.
The recruiting station letter
begins:
Did you know that you are still
able to enlist in the Navy or Naval
Reserve, provided your parents give
their consent? The United States
Navy offers you the opportunity of
learning useful trade while serv-
ing your country in the time of
great stress"
The letter goes on to talk about
the pay, mentions dental care, hos
pitalization, food and lodging, the
allowance to dependents, the leave
allowed recruits after completion of
their training period and goes on to
suggest:
IF you have previously applied
for enlistment and were not ac-
eepte6 il might he well for yoI, IN
drop by for re-examination, mas
much as the physical requirements
for enlistment have recently been
modified.
Come in and let us discuss this
with you in detail, without obliga-
| ton to yourself, and learn of the
many opportunities offered by the
United States Navy and Naval
Reserve