Evening star., 1952-08-13
| Draft Calls for Doctor,
Without Service Due
About First Of Year
By George Beveridge

| oNosSSS
District draft officials are get
ting ready to put the finger on
physicians and dentists here who
have had no previous military
service.
Prospects are that the first of
the professional men in this cat
egory-with the youngest going
first-will be tabled at about the
first of the year. officials said to-
day.
However, no clear-cut predic-
ton Of when, or to what extent.
the District doctors will be af-
fected is possible, officials stressed.
The reason is the complex ma
chinery for selecting medical men
under the so-called doctor draft"
law.
The law makes doctors under
the age of so liable for service
But it says they shall be taken ac-
cording to their standing in one
OF four categorieS. Further, each
category is exhausted nationally
before any local draft board moves
into the next category. Thus,
local boards which quickly ex-
haust manpower in one category
might have no monthly doctor
draft quota until the rest of the
country catches up.
No Doctor Yet Called.
Up to now, officials said, no Dis
trict physician or dentist actually
has been drafted. While some
have held out to the last minute
all have voluntarily signed up for
commissions.
This is the situation by priority
groups in the case of District
medical men:
Priority I-Those educated att
Government expense or deferred
during World War II for educa-
ton, and with less than 80 DAYS
military service. The pool of
dentists is exhausted and the
pool Of physicians is almost
empty.
Priority II-Those educated at
Government expense or deferred
during the war who have had
between 3 and 81 months mill
tary duty. All dentists in this
group have gone. No physicians
have been taken.
Priority III-Non-veteran older
doctors and recent medical grad
yates. None have been taken
yet.
Priority IV-World War II vet
Grams. None have been pres
sured into uniform yet.
For all practical purposes, OFF,
cials said, both physicians and
dentists in Priority III will be
reached soon. The reason is that
while no Priority II physicians
have been taken. the group con-
tains only about IS names. Some
of these will not be available for
service.
December Call Likely.
National draft officials estimated
that the first Of the Priority III
groups will be hit in December.
Draft questionnaires already
have been sent to Priority III
men here, and classification has
started, with emphasis on the
dentists group. Draft officials
said there was some indication
that a number of young medical
graduates, who would fall into the
third priority. have failed to reg
lister.
For this reason. they do not
know how large the priority group
will be. Under the law, however,
the youngest Of these will be the
first to 60 into uniform.
A special medical advisory group,
headed by DR.. G. Victor Simpson,
is working with local draft boards
to help select which medical men
shall be deferred because of criti-
cal jobs or training positions.
Many deferments have gone to
men in resident or intern
training.
Eventually. all Priority I and II
men given such deferments will
be ear-marked for service, DR..
Simpson said. He said one small
group of such physicians in Pri-
ority will have the heat turned
on them right away"
The October draft call, affecting
medical men throughout the coun-
try. was for 371 physicians and
200 dentists.