Evening star., 1944-02-14
Federal Father
Draft System
Called Unfair
Forces Earlier Call
For Others; z D. c.
Bourd Heads Testify
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.

chalrmen told a House Military
Affairs Subcommittee today that
the 60-day deferment of fathers
in the Federal service and the
new point system" for rating
Federal workers discriminate
against fathers employed in pri-
vate industry.
Testifying before the Costello
subcommittee investigating Federal
draft deferments, Chairmen James
D. Hayes of Board No. and A. j.
Driscoll of Board No. 2 declared
many men in private industry were
being drafted ahead of time be-
cause OF the 60-day deferment sys-
tenn. Such deferment is requested
for fathers in the Government serv-
ice while the War Manpower Com
mission Review Committee decides
II they should have longer defer
ments.
Wont Defer 81 800 Clerk
A third chairman, former United
States Attorney Leo Rover, said
Board 20 was ignoring" the defer
we just won't defer an 81, 800 clerk"
He said he believed the 60-day order
violated the legal ban against group
deferments.
Tracy Campbell, member of Board
No. "a, also said his board thought
the 60-day deferments "discrimina-
tory"
The only draft board official who
didn't voice some opposition to the
Government policies was Fred G.
Fraser, chairman of Board No. II
and assistant chief clerk of the
Veterans administration, who testi-
ned the Government had been re-
luctant in the past to request de-
1ermentS while industry has asked
1or deferments of anybody they
wanted"
Rising to defend the point sys-
tenn, its author, Edgar Puryear,
chairman of the VINO Review Com
mlttee, theStif1ed that most of the
criticisms directed at the new sys-
tenn arose from a ''misunderstand-
ing"
1t was necessary to have some
yardstick and a yardstick isn't man
datory-it's just guide" he said
He explained that after the men had
oeen rated on the advisory tally
sheet" each committee member re-
viewed each case without reference
to the tally sheet score.
Will Examine System Further.
Chairman Costello pointed out
that a man with little Government
, experience or training but who was
over IS and had several children
might get the same number of
points toward deferment as a
younger man with 10 or more years
service and more claims to fireplace
ability. Mr.. Costello said he hoped
to go over the point system more
thoroughly at subcommittee ses-
sion Friday.
Requests Held Mandatory"
Both Mr.. Hayes and Mr.. Driscoll
said they had considered the 6O-day
request mandatory" Mr.. Hayes
testified his board figured District
Selective Service headquarters prob
ably would order long stays of in
duction If the men were not de-
ferred. Mr.. Driscoll said he had
been told by District headquarters
that the agencies probably would
appeal the decisions of the draft
board and thereby tie up the men
for months.
The effect of this order" Mr..
Hayes declared, lis that men not
employed by the Government will
be in the armed forces one to four
months ahead of those working
for the Government who are finally
found not to be entitled to a defer
ment.'
Mr.. Hayes said that from what
he had read about the point sys-
tenn" he judged the system couldn't
help but be discriminatory and con-
trary to the Selective Service Act"
No Points" for Others.
He pointed out that the regis.
trant's age and the number of his
children, both Of which are consid-
cred points" on the Governments
tally sheet, are not considered in
the deferment of privately-em-
ployed fathers.
Asked by committee members
whether the board would know If
Federal fathers age and children
were factors in the deferment re-
quest. Mr.. Hayes replied the board
didn't know why Government re-
quests were made and added:
That's one of our difficulties"
Mr.. Driscoll said the 60-day de-
ferment requests also are discrimi-
natory because fathers in the Fed.
eral service whose deferment is con.
tinued after the so days probably
would get a total of eight months
deferment while men in private in
duStry get only six months.
Mr.. Hayes and Mr. Driscoll testi-
fed that when boards overruled
Government requests for deferment.
their decisions were regularly re-
versed by the appeal board. Mr..
Driscoll went on to complain that
(See DRAFT, Page A-4D