Evening star., 1943-08-24
Druft
Continued From First Page

Harbor father now becomes en-
ployed in war plant, he may be
considered for occupational defer.
ment under the broadened pro-
visions of local board memorandum
No. lis. (Occupational deferment
directive) In view of the fact that
replaceability has become extreme
ly important in tight labor areas
local boards will undoubtedly give
thorough consideration to the oc-
cupational deferment of fathers
making a substantial contribution
to the war effort"
Services to Call 1,873,00o.
Gen. Hershey reported that calls
from the Army and Navy from July
through September 30 will total
966,00 men. Calls from October
through December 81 are estimated
at 100000 men, making a total of
1.873,000 to be drawn through Sc
lective service in the last six months
of the year.
He estimated that of the 1866 900
registrants who were awaiting phys
ical examination or in class la on
July /, a total of $4,000 would be
acceptable to the armed forces. Ad-
ditional men becoming available will
amount to $4,000, for a total of
1,42700
Subtraction of the number avail
able from the number required
leaves a manpower deficit of AZ, 900,
Gen. Hershey pointed out.
Then he analyZed the deferred
classes from which the deficit would
have to be met.
4-F's Re-examined.
Although the 2,976, 900 men now
deferred for physical, mental or
moral reasons in 4-F are constantly
being re-examined, he said, the
possibility of recovery from class
4-F is not great in the light of pres
ent physical standards of the Army
and Navy. We shall continue to
insist that class 4-F men be recon-
sidered and inducted where possible,
but most of these men will remain
in class 4-F until the present phys
ical standards are changed by the
Army and Navy"
He pointed out that the deficit
could not be met by Redistribution
of the $4,000 men now deferred
because Of agricultural activities "if
food production is to be main-
tanned"
OF the 1,373,00o men deferred for
occupational reasons many are
highly skilled and irreplaceable in
the present tight labor market
Even If all OF them were called, he
added, 1t Is doubtful whether more
than 685, 900 would pass the physical
examination.
Fathers Number 6,559, 900.
That number, he said, would dc
little more than I'LL calls through
January, land it should be borne ir
mind that the Selectiye Service
System, according to present plans
will continue to receive calls ir
the year 1914"
He concluded that the only large
deferred pool remaining from which
men can be called is the group Of
$3.50 900 fathers.
The fundamental issue is no
whether we are to draft fathers,
he said, but whether, in the con.
sideration Of the war effort, we will
call those men least valuable Il
the war effort"
I'VE have but one alternative: T,
complete our calls by taking father
as they may be needed after al
other available men have been ex
hausted."
Gen. Hershey ended his messag
to draft boards, which was in tn
nature of third anniversary greet
ing, by declaring:
Our responsibility Is first TO thos
we have sent to war and we mus
not fail them. We are challenge,
as never before. Let us be guide,
by the greatest good in determinin
our course. The decisions will b
ldifncult and many times unpleas
ant, but we can bear the burden
knowing that these decisions wi
bring the end we are all seeking
the early and complete seurrende
of our enemies"