The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-06
pleting the tactical organization of those forces on sound military lines.
 PLAN CONSIDERED EFFECTIVE

1 Staff officers regard the plan proposed as the most effective that could be worked out to meet the present emergency. They regard the expansion of the regular army and the bringing of both that force and 1 the present regiments of the guard to full war strength as vital since for five months they expect to employ these agen- cies as a huge school from which trained l officers and noncommissioned officers can ] be turned out. No other way presents 1 Itself to meet the need for orr1cers,e al- l though additional steps are being planned 1 to organize new officers schools and 1 supplement the work of all military col 1 leges and schools now turning out pros- pective junior officers. The staff bill 1 divided into + sections, makes the fol- 1 lowing provisions:
 i Section l. For the immediate expansion of the regular army as described, with all vacancies thereby created in the com missioned rank to be filled by provisional appointment
 l Sec. ?. For hesS79a.1g g into the fed ! eral service oe kae fG strength of the 1 National CSs ara National Guard re- l serve for klse neface ca the existing emergency upssSs 3Eg harged." i Sec. 8. For f ss draft of an I additional 5000e a1a sae ssArces from which officers as including 1 the regular arm f3@sa ard of ficers reserve cGkps yMFieg officers or from qualified Hsit civilian l schools Officers uY Ng the 1 rank of colonel to aEBeiufte \ the | President without afrssse tfon ,y the 1 Senate
 Sec. 4. For the sec increment of i 5OO,00O.
 Sec 5. For the raising h sHafS a recruit training units may 4e ase sa necessary to maintain the astiv# f91ees at maximum strength.
 Sec. 6. For the organization Na @asssp4 ment of provisional ammunition and srtFss lery trains, exclusive of those aesadSH in the tactical organization 6f Iafees previously provided for, at the f9n of the President and for the du esn OF the emergency.
 1 REGULARS AND GUAR
 Sec. [. For raising and mairst atae only the regular army and National lSta and their auxiliary units until the sl~ dent decides that 'selective dra1t fa necessary when it shall be applieu S
 of the forces to be raised excusive1E N
 selective draft of male citizens betNesM
 19 and 25 years Of age under regulat ss
 to be formulated by the President. Irn
 vision is made for proportionate quo
 to be supplied from the respective state
 and territories, determined upon popula-
 ton and with credit given under such quotas for all men of the age affecte who may have voluntarily entered othe
 branches of the military service. Service is fixed for the duration of the emergency. Sec. s. For the exemption from seiec- tive draft of the vice president of the United States and the legislative, execu- tive and judicial officers, federal or state, and of all persons in the military or naval service of members of well recognized religious sects in which the creed prohibits participation in war. Pro- vision also is made for the discretionary exemption or drafting for partial mili- tary service only of customs house and postal employees. workmen at armories, arsenals and navy yards pilots and mariners actually engaged in sea service, persons engaged in industries necessary to the military establishment or main-
 tenance of the national interests. persons with dependent relatives and all physical ly or morally unfit persons.
 l TO REGISTER
 Sec. 9. For the registration of all per sons liable to military service under the act upon proclamation by the President;
 such persons to present themselves for registration as shall be prescribed, failing
 which they will be held liable for trial for misdemeanor and punishment upon conviction by from three months to one year lmpflSONmenI, SuDSeQueIl tO WHICH they will be duly registered for military service.
 Sec 1O For the employment of all agencies of the federal government, of the states or territories by the President to carry out the act, all public officials being required to aid in it's execution under penalty of from six months to one l years imprisonment. Similar penalties would attach for any person aiding ir any way any fraudulent evasion of the requirements of the registration section of the act.
 | VACATION OF COMMISSIONS Sec il. For voluntary enlstments un- der the qualifications and conditions now obtaining in the regular army, except that | the maximum age limit is raised from & to 40 years and enlistments are for tht l period of the emergency only. Enlisted volunteers may be assigned to any of tho | federal forces except those raised ex- clusively by draft.j Provisions also is | made for the discharge of any soldier who incurs responsibilities after his en | lstment which justify that step, and fol
 the employment of retired men of th' regular army.
 | Sec 12. For the appointment of gen eral officers of appropriate grades as the | President may deem necessary for thu l period of the emergency, to be selected from any part of the forces provided for irrespective of their previous rank, vacan | cies thus created in regular army grades ] to be filled by temporary appointment only The lower rank permanent com