Evening star., 1944-10-29
Draft Boards
Establish Job
Division Here
Higher Veteran
Discharge Rote
Prompted Step

Establishment of a Veterans As.
sistance Division in District Selec-
tive Service headquarters to help
returning servicemen get their old
jobs back or find new ones was
announced last night by District
Selective Service Director William
E. Leahy.
Mr.. Leahy pointed out that re-
employment committeeman to carry
out the Unemployment provisions of
the Selective Service Act had been
appointed months ago but that
only recently the discharge rate
increased to the extent that addi-
tlonal facilities for handling vet
erans here became necessary"
Under the Selective Service Act.
veterans are entitled to reinstate-
ment in their former jobs if they
are still qualified to perform them,
II they apply within 40 days after
discharge and if the employers
circumstances have not changed
SO much that it's impossible to re-
instate them.
Unemployment committeeman 20
to work when employers refuse to
PACK veterans or put them on jobs
without the seniority, status or pay
OF their prewar employment, or
when the veterans want to know
ABOUT new jobs or some of the bene-
hts they're entitled to under the CT
Bill of Rights.
President Roosevelt has directed
a message to draft boards and re-
employment committeeman urging
them to stay on the job to aid re-
turning veterans in finding employ
ment.
The Presidents letter, printed in
the latest issue of the Selective
Service Bulletin, was reinforced by
a message from Selective Service
Director Hershey asking draft Of
f1cials to give psychological as well
as economic assistance in helping
veterans readjust themselves to
civilian life.
Some national draft officials are
known to have become concerned
over the possibility that local VOL
unteers might drift away from Sc
lective service work, on the assump-
ton their services no longer were
urgently needed.
The Veterans Assistance Division,
which is designed to strengthen the
Districts program for veterans, will
serve as clearing house for the
records OF returning servicemen. Mr..
Leahy said. To the division will
come the reports from the armed
forces that District men and 9TH
ers who want to come here to work
have left the service.
The division, Mr.. Leahy ex-
planned, will then send the veteran
letter offering him assistance in
the solution of any problem con-
cerned with his return to civilian
life. A form will be inclosed on
which the veteran is to indicate
whether he would like to talk with
his unemployment committeeman.
When this form is returned to
the division, it will be forwarded
TO the proper local board, which will
arrange for an appointment between
the unemployment committeeman
and the veteran, and notify the lat
ter.
Follow-up Provided.
At the interview. the re-emplov-
ment committeeman may find it
necessary to send the veteran to
other agencies for special types of
assistance. Within 10 DAYS after
the interview report is received. MIR.
Leahy said, the agency to which the
man was referred will be asked to
report on what was done for the
veteran. The Unemployment COM
mltteeman will continue to offer
help at any time the veteran needs
1t, Mr.. Leahy said.
Local boards also will reserve
enough information to supply some
OF the answers and direct veterans
TO such agencies as the Veterans
Administration and the United
States Employment Service, Mr..
Leahy said.
Mr.. Leahy estimated that the ma
1ority of the $1,000 District men
inducted into the armed forces will
return to Washington after their
discharge. In addition, large num-
Der of veterans from other COM
munities are expected to come here
seeking work.
AS the flow of discharged men
increases, Mr.. Leahy said, it prob
ably will be necessary to appoint
more than the present one re-em-
ployment committeeman for each
local board so that veterans can
receive prompt assistance.