Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1917 — LATER INFORMATION SENT OUT [ARTICLE]

LATER INFORMATION SENT OUT

Regarding the Mailing of Questionnaires on December 15. Indianapolis, December 13. — Jesse E. Eschbach, state national army conscription agent, has received a telegram from MajorGeneral E. H. Crowder, provost marshal-general, at Washington, which says that questionnaires must be sent to all men of draft age not in the actual military or naval service of the United States. This includes the 35 per cent ot the first Indiana quota of drafted men called to the colors who arc still held at their home stations. In order to bridge over the situation of the 35 per cent the state conscription agent is instructed not only to send questionnaires to the men of this 3 5 per cent, but that they shall hold themselves in readiness to go to mobilization -camps at the call of the provost marshalgeneral. The situation created is that the men of the 35 per cent will hold themselves in readiness until the state of Indiana, un*der the new questionnaire system of selecting men by classes for the draft call, has chosen enough Class 1 men to equal the 35 per cent quota, according to Mr. Eschbach. Then, if the men of the present 35 per cent quota have not been called to the colors, their responsibility under the original call to the colors will have passed, and the men held under the new regulations as being of Class 1, and therefore, amenable to call at once, I will take their places. Mr. Eschbach also has received [a telegram to the effect that mem--1 bers of the new legal advisory boards have no power to give legal opinions on questions relating to the draft to exemption boards, their duties being irierely to giye assistance to jpefistrants in filling out the questionnaires and in preparing necessary affidavits. Another telegram was received by Mr. Eschbach, in which the President instructs that the induction into the military service of postal employes of draft age, who will be called between now and January 1, shall be deferred until after January 1. Apparently this is a movement to help relieve the Christmas mail congestion.