Evening star., 1946-08-03
Draft Abuses Charged
To Two New York
Members Of CONGRESS
BY Robert c. Durhom

EA
further development of the investi-
cation by North American News
paper Alliance into abuses of selec-
tive service to keep favored indi-
viduals out Of the armed services
revealed today that two New York
Democratic House members. Repre-
sentatives Rabin and O'Toole--
obtained yearly deferments for
young men in whom they were
interested by successive appoint
ments to military academies.
Despite their rejection by the
academy admittance boards and
the strong probability that they
would again be rejected. the Repre-
sentatives deprived other deserving
individuals in their districts b.
continuing to reappoint men otE"r-
wise liable to the draft-thus me- -
tanning their exemption from mill
tary service.
Selective service regulations orig
inally provided that any one with
any service whatsoever could not
be redrafted Time spent at the
service academies-West Point or
Annapolis, was considered military
service. These regulations we're
subsequently changed several times,
with the length of time spent in
service necessary to avoid redrafting
being raised successfully to 90 days
and then six months.
fThe most recent ruling by
Selective Service headquarters.
dated July 26, 1946. states that
the service academies no longer
will be considered as military
service
Would Give Exemption
1t was therefore possible for a
man to serve six months at West
Point or Annapolis during the war
and thus become exempt from all
further military service More than
dozen such cases are known in
New York City All are the result
of appointments by members OF
Congress.
Details are difficult to obtain from
local boards. 1t is fact that Selec-
tive Service files not specifically
classified as confidential are a mat
ter of public record. and therefore
open to inspection, but most officials
are wary of publicity and facts must
be dug up by independent research.
Here, however. is the authen-
ticated detail of two cases obtained
from reliable sources.
Representativ Rabin. reputedly a
friend of long standing of New York
State Supreme Court Judge Albert
Cohn, nominated the Judges son.
Roy M. Conn of 1l65 Park avenue.
as his principal appointment to
West Point for March of 1945.
Rejected by Academy.
Young Cohn was turned down for
physical reasons and he was not
admitted to West Point. He was
Immediately reclassifed LAB by
his local draft board This group
ing denotes availability for limited
service and makes the man subject
to induction into the armed services.
Following this reclassifcation,
Representative Rabin renominated
! young Cohn as alternate for the
1946 West Point examinations.
Under selective service regulations.
any one nominated for a service
academy must be placed in Alb and
cannot be made available for in
duction by the local board.
In June of 1916, young Cohn
again was disqualified for physical
reasons from entrance to the Mill
tary Academy and was again placed
in LAB
But he's back in Alb now! Rep
resentative Rabin has nominated
him as his principal appointment to
West Point for the March, 1e47.
examinations.
Though young Cohn is registered
with Manhattan draft board and
has a Manhattan address. Repre-
sentative Rabin represents a Bronx
district.
In similar case, Representative
O'Toole of the 18th congressional
district in Brooklyn. appointed Ber-
nard Joseph Ruggieri to West Point
for the July 1914, class
Dropped From West Point.
Mr.. Ruggieri passed his examina-
tionS and entered West Point. He
was, however, dropped nine months
later for scholastic deficiency.
One month after that, Represen-
tative O'Toole reappointed Mr.. Rug
gieri to West Point. On a review
of his case, however, the academic
board refused to allow his reap
pointment. He was officially denied
re-entrance to the academy August
30, 1945.
Twenty-seven days later, on Sep
tember 26, 1945. M Ruggieri re-
registered with his local board and
was liable to classification into la,
or subject to early induction. But
just two days later. on September %.
young Ruggieri produced a letter
of appointment from Representative
OToole-this time not to West
Point, but for the July class at
Annapolis.
tCopyright, 1916, by North American News