Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-06
MACHINERY STARTS TO
GET NATION FIT
FOR WAR
MAY RESORT TO DRAFT
lr NECESSARY, AID TROOPS ARE
NOT OBTAiNABLE, CONSCRlP-
TiON WILL BE EMPLOYED TO
SECURE A GREATER FIGHTING
FORCE.
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES.
international News Service staff Cor


responlent.l
Washington, d. C., april with
Americas entry into the world war
formally declared. Congress today set
about the task OF providing the army
to defend the cause to which the
United States Is committed
Secretary of War Baker went to the
Capitol to explain to the House mill
tary affairs committee the administrl-
ton army bill calculated to raise a
force of 100000 men in a year and
twice that number in two years The
military committee met behind closed
doors. They realized that theirs is
solemn task The bill, which Secre-
taru Baker explained to them was pre-
pared by the General, Staff of the
army.
1t provides first of ali for the i'm
mediate raising of the present regular
army and national guards to the com
bined authorized war strength of more
than G00,0 900. The new increments Will
responses are sufficiently prompt. 9th
orwise the troops must be obtained by
draft. Similarly the bill provides for
the calling to the coors by Late sum
mer OF the first increment OF new
lighting force Of 500 900 men, to be
chosen by selective conscription. Ad-
ministration leaders fOresee the night
which will be raised first in commit
tee and later on the fibers of Congress
over adoption Of the principle of draft
and conscription.
A bitter fight by pacifists in an1
out OF Congress is bound to be made
up Oh the conscription principle as
contrary to the whole spirit of Ameri-
can ideas. But America has made up
It's mind. The United States has
entered the war after full deliberatloa
having taken the sword, President
Wilson and his advisers arc fully de
termined that no half way measure
will be adopted. An army Of hun
dreds of thousands of men must be
FHlStU III AIiltI 10 w pih1 4" hS'"'''f
part. Mr.. Wilson's advisers do not be
ieye that these men can be obtained
thru the volunteer system.
First of all the General Staif bil
providing for the training of some
100 900 officers and non commissioner
officers who in turn will be the instrdc
tors of the youthful hosts to be lmpres
sed from farm and factory school am
ntiice and who have vet to receiy
their first lessons in the rudimentS O
handling rifle.
TO reach war strength the presen
regular army must be expanded to 27S
900 men and about 10000 otticer'
The national guard is capable of e.
pansion to 327 900 men and about 10
900 officers. Under the national d'
tense act, the guard would immediate
" be taken into the Federal service a
It was last summer when called
Mexican patrol duty.
With the regulars and natoni
guard augmented to their full strengt
the attention of the military author
ties must be turned to youth Of tn
country from which it is planned
draw during the next two years q
army Of 100000 men.
TO this and Federal. State and loc
authorities will be called upon to coo
crate in registering the young men
the country between the ages of
and 25 years. Exemptions will
made CT those physically unfit, tho'
,upporting dependents, members OF +
ligious bodies having scruples again
the bearing of arms and finally tho
engaged in industrial pursuits neee
sary to the conduct of the war
nv this means some time in la
summer the first increment of 5000
newly trained recruits would be ava
able. Within year second inc'
ment of 500 900 would be called to q
eolors with other officers and instr,
tcrs drawn from the regulars ana
national guard to take them In chars
The army, whatever its ultimate p'
portions, will, according 10 prese
plsns be raised in installments OF HI
a million men.
The mammoth estimate OF S3oo
00OOO00G0 for an appropriation
the new army made to Congress y
terday is but starter 1t conte
plates the carrying out only or !
program for one year. Otler ia
lous amounts must be provided
equip the army with ammunition a
reserve supplies when the time con
for It to 60 TO the firing line.