The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-12

Reconstruction, was prompted ny
these factors:
Armed Forces Demand
The armed forces demand for
vigorous and physically fit young
men,"
The fact that the armed forces
calls are now relatively small" the
army having reached its goal Of T.
100000 men. Army-Navy calls for
the rest Of the year are expected to
be 100000 to 10000 a month.
Meanwhile, for physically fit reg
istrants 10 through rs who do not
meet specific and rigid conditions
for deferment in a few special war
Misunderstanding only a slight
proportion Of the total-the pros
pect lis service In the armed forces
Looking toward the indefinite fu-
ture, Selective Service said:
THE attention now conferred on
the 10 through Is year old group
will be moved to the 26 through 20
year old registrants when they are
needed by the armed forces and the
supply of physically At men in the
10 through rs year old group is
substantially depleted"
The only indication as to when
this transfer of attention" might
take place, barring unforeseen mill
tary demands in the near future,
was Hershey's estimate that the
younger men would supply Army
Navy needs until December /.
1t appeared likely, however, that
some non-deferable men 20 or oIcer
would be called in the meantime.
Hershey explicitly warned that
Selective Service will take men who
persist in not participating in es-
sential work."
No Bearing
Although the regulations have no
bearing on agricultural deferments
qualifications for which are govern
ed by the Tydings amendment to
the Selective Service Act, Hershey
said that local boards have been
given "a stiff Interpretation" OF the
Tydings provisions.
II am quite optimistic" he said,
that as time goes on-and I am
not merely specializing - that in
creasing numbers Of (young) men
now deferred in agriculture will be
removed from deferred status.
"The changes in rationing "a ref
erence to recent sharp reductions in
point value Of various foods should
be evidence to the local boards that
we are not starving to death"
In listing the deferment prospects
for the various age groups, selective
service in a memorandum to local
draft boards repeatedly used the
cautious phrase: Subject to adjust
ment as the needs of the armed
forces change" Army-Navy replace
ment requirements, selective service
noted, will depend upon the for
tunes of war" Draft policy, there
fore, cannot be rigid"
Hershey urged employers of men
26 and older who have been placed
in la but not yet indicted to file
appeals even II the Today appeal
period may have elapsed. He pointed
out that an appeal is valid any time
before induction If new facts have
entered the case. And this memoir
andum,' he said, certainly consti-
tutes the existence and entry Of new
facts
For men 26 through 80, selective
service laid down this deferment
rule:
A fit registrant in this category
will be placed or retained in IA or
2-B-or reclassified from l-A-if his
local board finds him necessary to
and regularly engaged in an activ-
ity in support of the national health,
safety, or interest" or in an "activ-
ity in war production" Hershey
said a necessary man is one for
whom, in the opinion of his local
board, there is no adequate replace
ment.
If he is physically disqualified or
qualified for limited military serv-
ice only. he may be occupationally
deferred If he is merely regularly
engaged in" but not necessary to an
essentian activity.
Pre-Pearl Harbor fathers 20
through %, other factors being
equal, will normally be accorded
occupational deferment in prefer
ence to n-fathers."
Registrars 80 through 81, regard
less OF physical status. will be placed
or retained in pa or 2-B reclassi-
fled from 1-A-if they are merely
regularly engaged In" essential
work.
In reclGssifying men Is and older.
local boards we're instructed TO use
the WINGS previous list OF IS groups
OF essential activities as a guide. But
they also were told that under
present circumstance" they are
warranted in determining that
many activities not contained on
this list are In support OF the ma
tional health. safety, or interest, and
1t Is responsibility OF the local
board TO make this determination"
Selectiye service suggested that
consideration for occupational de-
ferment may be given OH a local
basis 10 registrants engaged In ac-
tsvatans which are related 70 utilities
soe4. eacAhing. fuel. housing. hsalsh
safety and other services or en-
deavors required for the preserva-
ton and effectiveness Of the life Of