Evening star., 1944-12-19
Army Will Induet
$4,000 Men a Month
Through February
By MIRIAM OTTENBERG.

The War Department has put
teeth in the tightened draft
regulations by announcing that
calls for January and February
will be stepped up by a third,
from 10000 to 10000 men each
month.
The War Department announce
ment came after earlier warnings
from selective service that higher
casualties would result in increased
draft calls to provide combat re-
placements.
A few hours before announcing
the stepped-up call, the War De-
partment reported that invasion
operations in France, the Lowlands
and the German border region cost
the Army Ground Forces casualties
totaling 258,l24 up to December /,
not including Air Force casualties.
SITS Casualties in November.
The total included 44,143 killed,
1918 wounded and 24,863 missing.
Casualties reported in November
alone totaled Sits, the War De-
partment said, adding that this
figure might include some casualties
from previous months.
The steppedup Army call now
brings the total drawn from the Ma
tion's manpower pool each month
through selective service to more
than 100000, including men for the
Navy and Marine Corps. Addi-
tional thousands are sworn into the
Navy each month before they
turn 18.
The War Department said that
since last July 1t has asked selective
service for fewer men than the esti-
mated requirements. The deficits
were made up by combing Army
units to obtain men for field service.
BY this method, the department
explained, draft calls had been held
to 10000 men a month, adding that
1t Is now necessary to step up the
calls by 10000 a month. It will be
determined later, the War Depart
ment said. whether it will be neces-
sary to continue the increased rate
OF withdrawal in March and April.
New Examinations Planned.
Meanwhile, selective service an
nounced that all men under 80 who
had been rejected for military serv-
ice since last February /, except
those with obvious physical defects
will be re-examined in 1945.
Selective service said the Army
agreed to re-examine the men to
determine whether some of the
"borderline" cases might be avail
able for general duty. The Army
agreement came after selective
service pointed out that a SUBJ
stantial number of men found fit
for service on their pre-induction
examination were rejected when
they reported for induction.
We're going to work over the
AT boys-not just to scare them
into war work but because we need
the men, "a selective service official
explained. I'VE prefer to take the
younger men as long as we can get
them even If they're not quite as
good physical specimens as some Of
the men taken earlier"
In addition to 4-Fs, draft officials
made 1t clear that men over 80 who
leave industry without draft board
permission under the new draft
regulations can be almost certain OF
being inducted now that the Army
has increased its call.
After a conference among draft
officials last night, 1t was decided to
call men in this order: Volunteers,
delinquents, nonfathers who Jump"
agricultural and war plant jobs. ia
theirs who Jump" these jobs, non
fathers who would come UP for in
duction in the normal course of
events and finally other fathers.
Leahy Instructs Boards.
Relaying the new draft regulations
to local boards, District Selective
Service Director William E. Leahy
told the boards not to act favorably
on the application Of an occupation
ally deferred registrant for permis-
sion to transfer from one job to
another except in those cases where
the facts fully justify the change.
At the same time, however, Mr.
Leahy said District draft boards
had not been 'unduly liberal" in the
past in granting occupational defer
ments with the result that a large
enough pool of men in the 26-37 age
group had been created to meet an
ticipated calls 'for some time"
He said it would be unnecessary
at this time for draft boards to
change their requirements for CIV
ing occupational deferments and
added that draft boards would be
notified If calls are stepped up to
such an extent that boards would
have to tighten up on deferments.
e.Isl f. IIl.lAl