Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1918 — WILL RECLASSIFY DRAFT MEN [ARTICLE]

WILL RECLASSIFY DRAFT MEN

Indiana Is Below U. S. Average In Men Available for Service. Indianpolis, June 13. —By direction of the provost marshal-general at Washington, Major Robert C. Baltzell, state conscription agent, Las sent an order to local boards for yw-eva mi nation and re-classiflcation *of men places in deferred classes in order to increase the number in the first class under the-first registration to 28.7 per cent of the total registration. The average number placed in the first class by Indiana local boards was 23 per cent., while for the country as a whole the number placed in the first class was 28.7 per cent. The order is designed to bring the first class in Indiana up to the nationaj average or standard. Major Baltzell has found that some of the local boards placed only 10 per cent, of the registrants in the first class. This resulted in placing an unequal burden on districts where the number in the first class was higher. In a letter to the local boards Major Baltzell gives them credit for conscientious work, but says conditions have changed to such an extent that “an entirely new classification is necessary at this time.” More men for class 1 will Jie obtained by a re-examination of the following classes: Class 2 —(A) Married man with children or father of motherless children, where such wife or children or such motherless children are not mainly dependent upon his labor for support for the reason that there are other reasonably certain sources of adequate support (excluding earnings or possible earnings from the labor of the wife), available, andthat the removal of the registrant will not deprive such dependents of support. Class 2—(B) Married man, without children, whose wife, although the registrant is engaged in a useful occupation, is not mainly dependent upon his labor for support. for the reason that the wife is skilled in some special clasp of work which she is physically able to perform, and in which she is employed, or in which there is an immediate opening for her under conditions that will enable her ■to support herself decently and without suffering or hardship. Class 3 (A) Man with dependent children (not his own), but toward whom he stands in relation of parent.

- Class 3—<Bl Man with dependent aged or infirm parent. Class 3—(C) Man with dependent helpless brothers and sisters; Class 4 —(A) Man whose wife or children are mainly dependent upon his labor for support. In filling "special induction calls Indiana stands high, according to a telegram sent out to all state conscription agents by Provost MarshalGeneral Crowder, as follows: Investigation made by this office disclose the the dailytelegraphic reports’ of induction to this office are not complete or up to • date. Some states are very near perfection, notably' Itidiana and Pennsylvania, but many states are not promptly fuirnishing satisfactory reports.