Final answer:
The Selective Service System faced challenges in implementing fair deferment policies, leading to a wide range of abuses, particularly among those of higher socio-economic status.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Selective Service System was implemented to draft men into the U.S. military and included various categories and criteria that led to many seeking deferments. To curb abuses, such as hastily arranged marriages, sudden college enrollments, or doctor-provided medical exemptions, the system tried to restrict deferments. For instance, the Service initially offered deferments for married men but had to reconsider this after observing a spike in marriages linked to draft notices. The War Department also classified jobs as critical, and only those not deemed critical could expect to be drafted. Furthermore, African Americans faced discrimination, with challenges in getting deferments family income was often so low that military pay represented an increase, leading to their higher draft rates compared to white men.
Efforts were made to tighten rules and ensure a more equitable distribution of military service responsibilities among eligible men.