Evening star., 1944-03-26
Druft
Continued From First Page

'NCoHtiIlueQ from FIRST Pa9e.)
could then recommend the defer
ment to the local board.
A national spokesman admitted
that State directors Recommended
tions might vary from the list of
plants later approved by the top
committee, with the result that
young men would find themselves
deferred for a few weeks and then
facing induction again.
270 Specials Revoked.
District headquarters not only is
refusing to go along with these
special requests but also revoked
yesterday the 270 specials" granted
to men under 26 before the perma-
nent arrangement was announced
late Friday. The 270 men were all
at the Navy Yard and would, have
been released over a six-month
period
The District men deferred in the
18-to-26 age group, estimated at
1000, will not be reclaSsified out of
PA and 2-B until after they take
their preinduction examination.
This is also time-saving device. III
they are fit only for limited service
or unfit for any military service
they will be continued in their de-
ferred class If they pass the phys
ical, the District spokesman ex-
planned, they will go into Ia.
1t was pointed out, however, that
the draft boards can reopen their
cases, if deferment request comes
until the day before their induction
In the rush to get the younger
men through their preinduction
physicals, District headquarters dis
closed, the cases of men under 26
working here but deferred by boards
in other areas and sent to the Dis
trict Appeal Board for review al
ready have been sent back to their
draft boards.
Covered by Under-26 Order.
Although the men may turn 26
after their cases get back to their
own boards, national headquarters
explained, they are covered by the
under-26 order if they were 25 when
the telegram on the new procedure
was sent to draft boards Friday.
Meanwhile, the Navy, largest single.
employer OF deferred men In this
age group here, has already sent
out word to its yards and other sta
tionS that Ito the extent that the
number released cannot be replaced,
there may be some loss of produc-
ton"
The Navy directed that no further
requests be made for deferment Of
men in this age group except in
cases of specific individuals in jobs
requiring an extreme and specialized
skill or knowledge or high educa-
tional and or specialized qualifica-
tions and then only when the indi-
vidual worker can be shown con-
clusively to be irreplaceable."
Navy Requests Lists.
The Navy, however, also requested
its commanding officers to submit
lists of men who don't meet all these
qualifications but whose work is
considered absolutely essential to
maintain the high quality of the
article produced to the degree that
the lives of our fighting men will
not be unduly endangered
Mr.. Leahy and the State direc-
tors of both Maryland and New
York all emphasized that the move
to put the younger men in the
Army will not delay the induction
of men over 26 not deferred for
occupational reasons.
The younger men being rushed to
Fort Myer will be in addition to
those regularly scheduled to take
their physicals next month. 1t was
also pointed out that draft boards
will start reviewing the deferments
of the older men as soon as they
have the younger ones out of the
way.
Men Over 25 Not "Safe."
In Maryland, Col Henry c. Stan
wood, the State director, warned
that deferred men over Is were not
"safe" and that "as soon as we have
cleaned up this age group (men
under 26) the local boards will pro-
ceed with the reclassification and
review of all men in the 26-37 age
group"
In New York, Gen. Ames T.
Brown, the State director, said he
believed every physically fit man,
with or without children-possibly
excepting men 80 to 38 and others