Besides, as previously stated, many Negroes were placed in Class 1, even where they had dependants, because their rate of pay in the army would enable them to contribute as much to the support of their dependants as would their earnings outside of army service.
This was a policy with many draft boards, but it is not exactly clear in view of the increased earning power of the Negroes through wartime demands for their labor.

Following are the complete figures on so-called desertions, the variances in the several states being given: Total white and colored registrants, June 5, 1917, to Total Reported Percent of Percent of Sept.

11, white desertions, total white 1918.

registrants.

white.