Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1918 — FEW REJECTIONS UNDER NEW DRAFT FIAT [ARTICLE]

FEW REJECTIONS UNDER NEW DRAFT FIAT

Changes in the physical requirement for men of the national army, by which thousands who have been or would be rejected under the first regulations, can now be accepted for service were announced recently by Provost Marshall Crowder. The modifications indicate that the war department is determined to hold for service—either military or special—all men registered except those whose physical condition can never be remedied to make them fit for any kind of service. Physical defects that can be remedied and make the men fit for service will be remedied or the men put into some special work not so rigorous as trench fighting, General Crowder says. Those who can hear with one ear spoken words at a distance of ten feet will be accepted. Color blindness no longer will be a cause for rejection. If a man has six good teeth on each jaw he will be taken. Formerly, if three were missing the man would be rejected. A careful examination of the lungs is ordered, with a view of keeping to a minimum the number of pneumonia and tubercular cases in camps. »

Height and weight requirements are changed. Flat foot or club or claw foot, and several foot troubles, no longer are causes for rejection and boards are orderel to “report no foot cases.” Hernia and similar troubles must be serious to win rejection. Physicians do not need to make a complete rejK)rt on any man, as was necessary under the first draft. As soon as a defect is found which unconditionally disqualifies a man, examination ceases.