Milford chronicle., 1943-12-17
PRESIDENT SIGNS
FATHERS DRAFT DELAY
CcOntinusd from FIRST rage,

FAlnEhS DRAFT della
| (c0ntinued from FIRST PassJ
ton to all local draft boards this
week to gear induction procedure
to the new law.
Taking Fathers In
On October l McNutt issued an
order putting fathers on the drafts
bottom rung. but they have been
going into the armed services with
every selective service call since
then. Hershey. no longer under
McNutt's manpower directives. re-
portedly told a closed meeting of
the national association of manu-
facturers at New York this week
that about 100000 pre-Pearl Har-
Dor fathers would be inducted by
next July according to present
schedules.
Congressional opinion was divid-
ed over the bills effect on fathers.
Senator Johnson (D-Colo) esti-
mated it would postpone induction
two or three months" for some.
Senator Wheeler (D-Mont), au-
thor of an unsuccessful attempt to
outlaw drafting of fathers. said the
modified bill means practically
nothing.
1t doesn't change things much
for draft-eligible fathers, it does
make major changes in the ma
tion's control over the manpower
situation After putting dads be-
hind all other available draft
groups. the bill:
l. Lodges full draft authority in
the hands of the President and the
director of selective service. an
officer previously subject to Nc
Nuts general manpower direc-
tives. both civilian and military.
2. Wipes out 'Occupational" in
ductions. cancelling the manpower
commissions work or fight" order
which made men in some Occupa-
tions non-deferrable regardless of
family status.
3. Creates a five-member medi-
cal commission, appointed by the
President, to review military phys
ical and mental standards to see
if they can be lowered enough to
pick up some 4-F's.
A. Gives draft appeal board at
the place of employment authority
to pass on occupational deferments
for so-called essential workers.
Their deferment now is fixed by ap-
peal boards where the worker reg
istered for the draft, frequently
hundreds of miles away from the
place where he works.
5. Registrants who want to
know their draft outlook can ar
range through local boards to have
their Army physical examination
in advance of an induction notice. !
The results of that examination,
however, will not be binding when |
a regular draft notice is issued.
Fathers Defined
To follow the acts requirements, /
selective service defined fathers"
as all men who were expecting
parenthood before December s,
l941. and who have maintained
their family status since.
National headquarters and the
war manpower commission prompt
Iy instructed local boards to re-
yoke the present non-deferrable
Job list and told them to keep a
mans family status in mind when
the essentially of the
work he is doing.
Under old procedure, fathers in
occupations were
called for induction
Defore n0n-fathers in essential
work. But that order is changed
low.
with respect to fathers who are
Eligible for occupational deferment,
he regulations and instructions
will be literally construed" Selec-
i've Service said. Fathers .
re usually stable employees, and
I other factors are equal, will nor ,
lally be accorded deferment in :,
reference to non-fathers." !
The liberal Interpretation order :
nay result in the Occupational de- :
erment .of fathers whose jobs are !
n the borderline. and will send
classified as essential 7
n the same draft districts into !
ervice ahead of them. a
The revised law does not abol-
sh occupational deferments. now
ranted only for a stated number
( months. and reviewed upon ex-
iration.
Hearings before Congress show A
4 that no draft boards has any b
pool of deferred non o
ithers. Consequently. Selective il
ervice officials said. there are few S
left to induct ahead of g
lthers.
In filing future draft quotas To- C
II boards were directed to call
1lunteers first. non-fathers sec N
nd, and fathers last. a
Farmers are starting to haul up