Evening star., 1948-08-24
U. 5. Agencies
To SET Up Own
Draft Centers
Lost Hurdle Cleared
For Registration
Starting Monday

lective Service Director William E.
Leahy.
The Federal Personnel Council
agreed unanimously yesterday that
each agency will set up its own
center - manned by Government
workers-to register employees in the
18-to-25 age group between August
80 to September l8.
The action, announced by Mr..
Leahy at a press conference, put
the Federal Government in line
with the District government and
a score of large business companies
which have agreed to register their
own workers.
Police to List Own Men.
To further lessen the load on
official Selective Service registration
centels, the Police Department also
has agreed to register members OF
the force in the 1925 age bracket,
Mr.. Leahy said. He plans to con-
fer with Fire Chief Clement Muir
ply today to request similar action
by the f1remen.
National Selective Service head
quarters today requested veterans,
at the time of registration, to bring
documentary proof of their military
service. This will help admlnlstra-
tive efficiency and personal conven-
ience, although not specifically re-
quired by law, officials explained.
1T will simplify the classification
procedure" an official said. "As
classification missionaries will first
be sent to men in the older age
brackets who are single, not fathers
and not veterans, the more veterans
who Immediately can establish their
status at the time of registration
the less lost motion there will be
in local board operation,
Veterans in Several CategOries.
National headquarters suggested
that proof of service be in the
form of discharge papers, photo
static copies of discharge papers,
or "other adequate information In
convenient form"
Early and accurate information
about the exact status OF veterans
also is desirable because the draft
law puts veterans into several cate
gories, it was explained.
"All must register" an official
said, "but those who served honor
ably a year or more between Sep
tember 20, 1910. and June "a, l948,
are not liable for service. Neither
are those who served honorably for
more than 80 days during the shoot
ing war, that is, between December
7, 194l, and September 2, 1945. Those
who served honorably between Sep
tember is, 1910, and June "a, f94s,
for more than 80 days but less than
a wear are conditionally deferred
subject to their enlistment or ap-
pointment in one of the organized
reserve units"
In other developments, Mr.. Leahy
announced:
l. Appointment Of Frank D. Nor
ton as deputy director Of the draft
organization here. Mr.. Norton, who
held the same job during the war,
was head of the District Office OF
Selective Service Records before that
agency was abolished.
Q. Names of District residents to
fill five vacancies on local draft
boards and for a fourth five-member
draft appeals board panel are to be
submitted to the Commissioners for
approval today, completing the
member list.
Will Set Own Times.
Under the Government registra-
ton plan, Mr. Leahy said, each
3gency will set up its own center and
determine its own registration times
Times will be patterned after regis
tration dates by age groups. however,
to conform with registration else
where.
Selective Service will be liberal In
special cases during the registration.
Patients in hospitals, for example,
will be excluded from the August
30-September 18 period but must
register as soon as they are able.
Special units will be set up in
prisons, the director said, to catch
tother youths as they are released.
When it's "unduly inconvenient"
for men to register on dates speci-
fed for their age groups, they can
register earlier.
But they must all register by
the date specified" Mr. Leahy added.
Those out of town during the next
few weeks should register where
ever they are, and the records will
be sent back here, Mr.. Leahy said.
Volunteers Obtained.
Volunteer registrars have been OBJ
tanned, meanwhile, to man the three
largest registration centers. the di-
rector said. The American Legion
Auxiliary will take care of the Dis
trict National Guard Armory, Red
Cross members will register youths
at the District Building and volun-
teers from the Council of Social
Agencies will handle registrants at
the Municipal Center, 300 Indiana
avenue NV.
Other registration points named
so far are Thomson Elementary
School and Wilson, Roosevelt and
Dunbar High Schools. About l5C
volunteers for these locations have
been found so far, Mr.. Leahy said
All volunteer registrars will re-
port at 10 am. Thursday, Mr.. Leahy
announced. for an instruction ses-
sion to be directed by him and Mr.
Norton. A similar meeting fol-
registrars designated by Federal
agencies will be held at 2 pm. Thurs
day.
$4,000 Total Here Seen.
How many Government employees
will be required to register has moi
been determined. Selective Service
officials nationally estimate that
about 8. per cent of the Federal
force will fall in the age-group, but
the number here is expected to be
higher. Registration throughout the
city is expected to total about $4,000
officials also are unable to esti-
mate how many of the youths will
be deferred. until 18-year-oldS and
veterans are enrolled. But Mr. Leahy
predicted that the main pool would
comprise the y0unper hoyS"