Hershey Predicts Class Rank Might Count for Draft

Class standings may be used as a basis for draft deferments next year, General Louis B. Hershey, Director of Selective Service, said last night in Washington.

Hershey also reaffirmed that he may hike the passing grade of the Selective Service Deferment test from 70 to 80.

If class standings are used for deferment, a student would have to be in a division higher than the top half to avoid being called, he stated.

Anyone in college this year, he continued, should not worry; unless the situation in Korea gets worse.

Hershey said that he has received no pressure or comment on his proposal to raise the passing grade on the test. The tests were begun, he said, because he felt that deferring men on a class standings basis was unfair.

Students in a low division in a big university may be smarter than those at the top of their classes in small state colleges, Hershey noted. But most draft boards have been ignoring the test scores when considering a student, he feels, and he may be forced to re-adopt the class standings criterion.