New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-08-27
WOULD DRAFT MEN
FROM 10 TO Fl.
Gen. Young Says Youth Must
Fight As in Civil War

Washington, Aug. 27.-In a signed
! statement Lieut.. Gen. S. B. M. Young,
U. S. A., Commander-in-ch chief of the
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of
the United States and President of the
National Association for Universal
Military Training, advocates the early
drafting of youths between 10 and 81,
to form the National Army.
General Young says that of the g.,
$4,000 men registered, fully 80 per
cent OF the married men have not
hesltated to walk up and claim exemp-
ton on that ground alone, which
means that only small percentage of
the married men in the nation are
willing to bear arms in defense of it.
This Is a condition which was not only
surprising, but which is full of men
ace, and to which there can be but one
answer-the young, unmarried men
must save this country even as they
saved it in the Civil war;
After quoting statistics to show that
the bulk of the Union army was COM
posed Of youths under Fl, General
Young analyizes the results of the
present draft and concludes
After the first and second drafts
are made there will be approximately
$4,000 men available for purely mill
itary service who will not have been
included In the first two drafts. Now,
since the first and second drafts will
total about 1874, 900, and experience
shows that three men are required in
reserve for each man on the firing line
the $4,000 left over from the first
registration will not be adequate for
even a reserve force for the men ac-
ri h11f
short of the number which experience
has proved necessary by some $780,
900.
"By using the comprehensive ma
chinery set up by the War Department
for carrying out the provisions of the
draft law and which is still in exist
ence and in perfect working order, the
remedy which I have to propose can
be Immediately realized. This remedy
is embodied in the following amend
ment to the draft law:
All male persons resident in the
United States who are 10 years of
age and not more than 81 years of
age on the, (date when this
amendment shall go into effect)
and who were not registered in
pursuance of the act of May 1S,
1917, shall be registered at such
time and place as the President
may by proclamation direct.
1T should also be provided that
none of the men affected by the law so
amended should be called for active
military service before reaching the
age of 81 years.
Would Net 100000.
"Granting that the proposed amend
ment shall be adopted by Congress the
same to go into effect June 5, 1918, a
and illuminating comparison
with the figures Of the recent registra-
ton and draft given above is imme-
diately presented: On June 5, 1918.
there would be three classes-males
10, 20 and 81 years OF age-affected
by this proposed amendment. These
three classes would total 100000
men, and after reflections would net
Approximately 100000 men fit for
training for military service. In these
three classes there will be a much
smaller average percentage of exemp-
ton than in the older classes which
were comprehended in the recent reg
istration.
I'm round numbers, 100000 men
arrive at the age for military service
each year. Allowing for proper de-
auctions on account Of physical and
mental unf1tness and for the exclu-