Show SLACKERS FINDING THE BARRED YOUNG MEN OF DRAFT AGE CANNOT ESCAPE SERVICE IN RANKS OF ARMY plans of dodging duty by seeking g places in noncombatant non combatant branches of army strike a snag in decision of secretary baker washington go o called slacker coin commissions missions by which ilien men of draft age seek to escape service in tho the ranks and get officers place in noncombatant branches of the army llave havo struck a snag in fai two general policies laid down by secretary baker these are first that aliat no men of draft age be commissioned unless it is shown clearly that they are arc better fitted for the special work to which they are called than any civilian beyond the draft age whose services es can fi secured and second that no fune lon of the army that can be car carried ried traced m n efficiently with civilians shall be laced on oil a military footing by com coin I 1 the men needed to super ise the work many sample cases the problem of commissions in the arlous staff departments of the army lint hat hove have to do with the supply lines transportation atlon construction and it a bundred combatant noncombatant non rion functions of he be service Is a difficult one there have been numerous cases of young men of draft age who have obtained Oni missions in III those services and therefore are exempt from frodl the operation of 0 f the law under which the fighting troops are being mobilized it Is the desire of secretary baker apparently to keep this element of tile the commissioned personnel of the army at a minimum in justice justic e to the great body of drafted men and to prevent tiny any suggestion that men of draft age have found shelter in the commissioned grades of the noncom non com balant branches of the service frodi the liability of service at the front the policy Is founded on tile the theory that chat there are older men in civil af well fitted for tile the special duties required to whom such commissions corn Missions could be given leaving tile men of draft age to the operations of the law it I 1 is s not desirable however to make iny any hard and fast rule against staff commissions for draft men there certainly are special cad caad which should be considered |