The first call will be for men between the ages of 20 and 34, who are
unmarried or are widowers without children, and all belonging to this
class must within the period limited by the proclamation report for
service or apply for exemption from service. Convenient arrangements
have been made, and notified to the public, whereby these reports and
applications may be submitted through the post without loss of time or
expense to the persons who are required to report or apply. Medical
boards have been established at convenient centres for determining the
physical qualifications of all men within the class. It is advisable
that each man affected by the call should make up his mind as to
whether he will report for service or apply for exemption and promptly
act in accordance with his resolution. No possible advantage, either in
obtaining exemption or as to the time for entering upon active service,
will be gained by delay; on the contrary, a man who delays may suffer
some unnecessary inconvenience and loss of time in the attendance
which will be required, if his report or application be postponed
until near the expiration of the period defined by the proclamation.
The importance of immediate appearance before the Medical Boards which
will sit at every centre of mobilization is apparent. Until men have
undergone medical examination they cannot know whether or not their
services will be required. Certificates of physical unfitness from the
Medical Boards will be accepted by the exemption tribunals without
further investigation. But anyone dissatisfied with the decision of a
Medical Board may nevertheless invoke the judgment of the tribunals
upon his physical condition. Under the provisions of the Act only
100,000 men can be drafted. The Militia Department is anxious that
only those of undoubted physical fitness shall be accepted. Unfit men
reduce the efficiency of the army and become charges upon the country
while still equal to civil duties. The Medical Boards, therefore, are
under as great obligation to reject the unfit as they are to declare
the soundness of any who may seek to escape by misrepresenting their
physical condition. It is not suggested that there will be many cases
of evasion or misrepresentation. We have had so many examples of
persistent and even pathetic endeavor by those of doubtful physical
vigor to enlist that the Medical Boards will have to guard against the
unfit rather than to exercise vigilance against deceit and imposition.