Evening star., 1948-08-26
Draft Workers
Briefed for Big
Registration Job
Given Instructions
For Listing $4,000
Starting Monday
By Robert K. Welsh

The District draft registration
machinery moved into high geal
today with the swearing in anc
"briefing" OF more than $50 vol
uneeer workers who will register
10000 men here beginning Mon
day.
A similar and larger group o.
Federal Government representa-
tlves who will register draft -eligi.
BILE men in Government agencies In
Washington was sworn in at an.
other session this afternoon ir
the departmental auditorium. Both
groups. in addition to being sworn
in and instructed in registration
procedure. were signing waivers OF
pay.
Small Percentage Instructed.
Those instructed today represent
ed comparatively small percentage
of the total number of volunteer
registrars. Personnel officers of
several large concerns such as pub
lie utilities and chief registrars from
citizens organizations received ad-
ministrative oath and waiver forms
for distribution later today and to-
morrow to other volunteer regis
trarS.
District headquarters officials said
they still have not obtained suffi-
cient volunteers to man general
registration centers at all of the
four designated school buildings. A
special appeal was made to men,
bers OF citizens associations to as
sist at those places.
There was no authoritative esti-
mate Of the number of volunteers
already signed up, but Mr.. Leahy
said that between 5000 and $500
would be needed in order that all
registrars would not have to put in
a full nine hours for each of the
II days.
Off1cials said they have no way of
knowing how many men will be
registered each day according to
age brackets Individual daily totals
may be swelled because men can
register in advance of the day
designated for their age group.
Importance Stressed.
The registrars were told by Dis
trict Selective Service Director Will
liam E. Leahy that the registration
August 30 through September 18 is
the initial and extremely important
process on which the efficiency ano
success of the whole peacetime draft
cess OF the whole peacetime draft
system depends"
Mr.. Leahy estimated that about
Is minutes will be required for each
individual registration to insure ac-
curacy and thoroughness. He en-
phasized that volunteers still are
needed to man general registration
centers in four school buildings, the
National Guard Armory and the
District Building and Municipal
Center. The great bulk of the work
however, will be handled by Gov
ernment employees who have volun-
teered to register draft-eligible Fed
eral workers in their own agencies
and also by a score of large private
companies which have arranged for
on-the- scene registration of their
employees in the 18 through Is age
group.
II Working Days.
while the filling out of regiStra
ton cards will not be difficult, the
work will not be an easy perform
ance because it will extend over II
working days with hours from 8
am. to 5 pm," Mr.. Leahy con-
tinued. 1T is not for us to say
whether this Selective Service law
was good or bad.
I'VE had all hoped that when the
wartime Selective Service system
passed out of active duty that 1t
might never return again. But those
who know more than we do and
those whose knowledge is not re-
stricted to newspapers and rumors
have found that protection Of those
fundamental rights for which our
boys shed their blood during the
war requires that we now go through
the process of a peacetime draft.
I'VE hope that the word service
will not be added to the word train
ing in this draft law, but the job
before us here today is one that
must be done and the registration
process is the first and one of the
most important steps"
Differences From 1910 Told.
Recalling that the District draft
system registered 10000 men on
one day of the 1910 wartime draft,
Mr.. Leahy explained that the IT.
day procedure by age groups in the
current peacetime draft will be
easier so far as the number OF
registrants is concerned. but more
difficult because Of the time and ad-
ditional information that will be
required. He said he doubted that
the District would draft many men
in the age groups between Is and
%, because about four out of every
five in those age brackets here
served in the armed forces during
the last war.
Frank D. Norton. deputy Select
I've Service Director for the Dis
trict, conducted the instruction ses-
sion, at which booklets explaining
the detailed registration procedure
were distributed to each of the
volunteers.
National headquarters reported
today that registrars are we'll pre-
pared to fill out the registration
cards of $500 900 men 18 through 2s
years. who will be registered by age
groups in approximately 10000 reg.
istration places throughout the
country"
Use Of the fire stations was Of
fered by Fire Chief Clement Muir
ply. Mr.. Leahy said. They will bt
available not only for registration oi
draft-eligible firemen, but of any
one else who finds them convenient
Police Supt. Robert J. Barrett pre-.
viouSly made all precinct station!
available for general registration.
The schools where registration
will be held are the Dunbar, Wilson
and Roosevelt High Schools, ans
Thomson Elementary School. Abou
q score Of private companies hav,
arranged for registration of thei