The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, July 22, 196 Page 3
uwum'uu.umuE...Registration Reportsmm
Registration questions answered
Q: Who must register for the draft?
A: All male citizens and resident
aliens born in 1960 or 1961 must register
with the Selective Service System by
filling out a form obtained at a local
post office. Men born in 1960 are sup-
posed to register on any of the six days
beginning Monday, July 21; men born
in 1961, on any of the six days beginning
July 28. (Men born in 1962 will be
required to register on any of the six
days beginning January 5, 1981.) After
that, persons will be continuously
registered as they turn 18.
Q: Are any 19- or 20-year-old men in
the U.S. exempt from having to
register?
A: The only people exempt are (1)
persons already in the military on ac-
tive duty, or at military academies, or
(2) aliens who have not been granted
immigrant status.
Q: Do conscientious objectors and
handicapped persons have to register?
A: Yes. If a registrant feels he is a
conscientious objector or has a mental
or physical handicap which would keep
him out of the draft, he is still obligated
to register. This will preserve his chan-
ce to claim exemption at a later time.
Q: Do draft eligible people living or
travelling outside the United States
have to register?
A: Yes. Registration must be accom-
plished at an American consulate or
embassy.
Q: What happens if a potential
registrant is hospitalized or imprisoned
at the time of registration?
A: Such a person must register within
30 days of the termination of the con-
dition which prevented him from
registering.
Q: The American Civil Liberties
Union won a lawsuit Friday which
declared registration unconstitutional
because itrexcludes women. A justice of
the Supreme Court issued a stay of that
ruling the next day, allowing
registration tocontinue as planned.
Does this mean an individual does not
have to register until the suit is finally
resolved?
A: No. Unless a judgespecifically or-
ders that registration stop, eligible men
are still obliged to register at the
designated time.dThe Supreme Court is
likely to make a final determination on
this issue.
Q: What will happen to an individual
who decides not to register until the
constitutional issue is resolved?
A: According to a report in the July 20
edition of The New York Times,
Associate Dean of the Harvard Law
School Donald Weinberg said that un-
der the stay granted by the Supreme
Court justice, "I think registration
would have to proceed, but for young
men who chose to delay registration it
would be very defensible that there is a
court's declaration that the law is un-
constitutional, against a stay merely
postponing a final rle. The Gover-
nment ... would have difficulty
showing criminal intend if it chose to
prosecute any non-registrants."
Q: What information is required on
the registration form?
A: Selective Service is requiring that
registrants provide their full name,
sex, social security number, date of bir-
th, current mailing address, permanent
residence, and current phone number.
There is also a box to check if one wants
information to be given to Armed For-
ces recruiters. After completing the
form, registrants must also sign a
statement- affirming that the infor-
mation is true. Postal officials will
request that registrants present some
identification.
Q: Is the social security number
mandatory?
A: The government is requesting that
you provide a social security number if
you have one. However, the Privacy
Act of 1974 will probably preclude
prosecution for failure to disclose a
social security number.
Q: Newspapers recently reported
that a registrant might be able to check
a box stating that he is a conscientious
objector. Is this possible?
A: This provision did not pass
Congress. Officially, there is no way at
the time of registration in which to
declare one's intention to seek con-
scientious objector status.
Q: Once registered, will an individual
be classified and be given mental and
physical examinations?
A: The President has the authority to
begin classification and examination
but has stated he will not do so at this
time. Also, Congress has not ap-
propriated any money for this purpose.
Q: Is its crime not to register?
A: Yes. Section 12(a) of the Military
Selective Service Act provides
penalties of up to five years in prison
and a $10,000 fine, or both, for failing to
See REGISTRATION, Page 12
These questions and answers
about draft registration were
prepared by Barry Lynn for the
Committee Against Registration
and the Draft. The information is
not intended as a substitute for legal
advice.
. JOEL STREICKER URGES young men to consider the options open to them before registering for the draft in fr,
the post office in Nickels Arcade.
Local young men register in A
(Continued from Page t).
They passed out literature, spoke to
young men about the options to
registration available, and urged draft
counseling for anyone unsure of his
decision.
Some young men walked with pur-
poseful strides into the post office,
ignoring the leaflets and questions of
the CARD and PIRGIM represen-
tatives.
"DO YOU know registration is un-
constitutional?" asked Joel Streicker, a
20-year-old CARD member who is not
planning to register for the draft.
"Yep, and I'm going to do it
anyway," answered 19-year-old
engineering sophomore Harold M'c-
Millin, as he walked into the Nickels
Arcade post office.
After registering, McMillin said let-
ting the Selective Service System know
where he lives is the least he can do for
his country. "This country gives me a
lot, and it doesn't ask for a lot.
"IT (REGISTERING) is something I
have got to do and I'm going to do it,"
he said. "If they call me to go, I'll go."
0 The chants "Money for jobs and
education - not for draft and
registration!" from protesters outside
the post office in the Federal Building
made registrant Mike Mead a little
angry.
The 20-year-old business student said
he did not consider resisting
registration. "We have to have some
sort of defense system," he said. "What
got America where it is today?"
SOME DIDN'T even notice the
protesters outside the post office as
they filled out their names, birthdates,
addresses, phone and social security
numbers on the little green and white
cards.
"Is that what all those people are out
there for?" asked 20-year-old Derold'
Smith, as he peered out the window at
the protesters for the first time.
Smith said he was registering
because he had to do it. "I'm just going
to get it over with. Ina way I'm worried
about the fine. I mean, if they want you,
they are going to get you some way."
THE ISSUE wasn't so cut and dried
for other young men at the post offices
yesterday.
LSA junior Steve Kim filled out his
form slowly. He sighed when asked how
he felt about registration. "I personally
don't feel there is a need. But I'm
resigned to my fate," he said waving
his card. "If it turns out to be a draft, I
might think about it some more.
"I don't know," he paused. "It just
doesn't make any sense that they'
should have this."
At least ten young men went to the
post office with the intention of
registering and were convinced by
CARD and PIRGIM representatives to
reconsider their decisions. And several
young men who were not planning to
register came to the rally for infor-
mation and moral support.
Patrick McCarthy, 19, is due to
register next week. He stood on the
steps of the Federal Building, watched
the rally and wondered what he should
do. "It's a mind blower to me. Here I
am deciding something very impor-
tant."
McCarthy ,said he thinks young men
should be true to their consciences. He
also said he doesn't want to register,
although he fears the consequences of
his actions. "I've been in jail before,"
he said. "I don't want to go to jail
again."