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Show 'Battle Creek 4 f-J "Nixon Studies Revision of Draft System," was a headline on the front page of last Sunday's Sun-day's daily newspaper. Well sir, in the opinion of this column, it's about time somebody in high authority studied it and then proceeded to do something. It's an unfair and ridiculous mess, the way it is now. Certainly, every young man, who is physically sound and mentally normal, should bear equal responsibility in defending defend-ing his country in time of war. And if the Vietnam Conflict is not a "war" will someone pease explain what it is?" How well I remember during the days of World War I. Every young man of eligible military age was called before his draft board and given a serial number. num-ber. After a psycological and physical examination he was assigned a classification number num-ber from A-l to F-4. The A-l's were, of course, the first to be called. When men were needed, the serial numbers were placed into a "fish bowl" at the War Department Depart-ment in Washington, D C. A blindfolded person then drew them out, one after another. The potential draftee was then notified as to the sequence when he would be called up for active duty. There was no guesswork or beating about the bush. Every eligible young man knew that if the war continued, sooner or later he would be called. The sequence at which his number was drawn determined whether his callup would be sooner or later, and he could make his plans accordingly. Anyway, he had a choice. He could enlist or wait for the draft. In my own case when my number was nearing the top, I volunteered and was assigned as-signed as an instructor in the Enlisted Mens Specialist School at San Antonio, Texas. Most of the boys in this area, who waited to be called, were sent to Fort Lewis for six week's Infantry training and then sent overseas. Under the present system, the Vietnam War is being fought largely by an army composed com-posed largely of young men whose parents cannot afford to provide them with deferment by enrolling them in college. In simple fact it is a poor man's war. Negroes make up about five per cent of the population of the United States. However, about 28 per cent of the boys serving in Vietnam are black. What's fair about that? Lottery, it seems to me, is the only equal basis for selecting select-ing young men to fight America's Amer-ica's armed conflicts. At any rate, during World War I, there were no anti-war riots and no public draft card burnings. Everyone has the benefits of living under a free democracy. So everyone should assume an equal responsibility in preserving preserv-ing it. There is no better nor fairer way. So long 'til Thursday. |