Draft news

Drafting men over 26, expected to come at any moment, will not appreciably ease the plight of PhD candidates currently vulnerable to reclassification from IIS to IA (PHYSICS TODAY, August, page 65). Washington sources indicate that draft boards around the country are rapidly depleting their manpower pools and that selective service director General Lewis Hershey believes selective service may be forced to enter the over‐26 category by December. It is estimated, however, that only about one third of approximately 75 000 men in this category will be eligible for the draft. Hence even if local boards begin drafting the over‐26 group, the boards will still be reluctant to continue a student’s deferment much past his 26th birthday. Draft calls are rising, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara has announced a buildup, and pressure on selective service manpower rapidly increases.