Evening star., 1943-02-11
HerSheyFights
Defernlentof
Young Fathers
Most Druftees Will
Come From Group,
General Declares

Earlier Story on Page Alb
BY the Associated Press.
Maj. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey
told the House Military Affairs
Committee today he opposed
legislation requiring deferment
of men with children and stated
that the great majority Of men
inducted within the next two or
three months would be from this
class.
Gen. Hershey opposed legislation
to require deferment of men with
children until all single men and
childless married men are drafted.
Without giving any figures, the
director of selective service said he
had previously testified that low
ering Of the draft age to 18. which
was done, would not meet the de-
mands of the armed forces for man.
power, and added:
I'm the next two or three months
the great majority of men inducted
will be men with children. because
there will be no one else left"
Il feel that it would be unwisa
to enact this legislation said Gen.
Hershey, first witness called in the
Military Affairs Committee hearings
on bill to set up four categories
for induction, with fathers in the
last class, and to put the drafting OF
men on a Statewide, instead of .
local board, basis.
I'm it's present form 1t would
render administration of selective
service very difficult" Gen. Hershey
testified. adding that while some
changes might be made ito elm
mate my objections" he felt the
legislation still would be undesirable.
Only Personal Opinion.
"The inevitable tendency of man.
power procurement during the next
eight or nine months, or even the
next two or three months" he said,
must give more weight to what the
registrant is doing rather than to
the relation he has with depend-
ents"
He emphasized that he was ex-
pressing only my personal opinion"
and was not speaking for the War
Manpower Commission.
Gen. Hershey submitted figures to
back up his assertion that it was
necessary to make heavy inroads
upon men with children.
Puts IL Out of IA in Service.
The total available manpower
pool, including those already In
service, he said, was $4,000 900, Of
which not less than 8.0O0,0 900 must
be disregarded because Of disability.
OF the 100000 remaining, he ex-
planned. an estimate of II 900 900 for
the armed services by the end OF
this year was about as good as you
can get" He said approximately
100000 must be deferred because
of needs of agriculture.
On that basis, Gen. Hershey said,
II out Of IA of all the men between
Is and 80 must be in the service by
the end of this year, and that meant =
the use of many men with chill
dren.
While only from 8 to 10 per cent =
of men Of all ages were rejected for
physical defects by local boards, he
said the rate of reflections at induc-
ton centers ran from 30 to IS per
cent In most cases. he explained,
reflections were caused by defective
teeth or bad eyesight, although the
standards had been lowered consid-
erably.
We're not rejecting them, but
the Army is rejecting them" he ,
added.
Teen-Age Reflections 20 Per Cent.
When he said the rate of rejec- O.,
tions in the 18-year -old group was
from 20 to Is per cent, Representa-
tive Thomason, Democrat, of Texas
commented that "is a sad COM
mentary on health conditions
throughout the country"
Gen. Hershey testified that Be
fore the end OF this year the great
majority of all men between 18 and
SO who are physically fit, regardless
Of their occupation or their de-
pendency, must enter the service
You mean the military service?"
asked Mr.. Thomason
Yes" Gen. Hershey replied,