New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-04

Washington. April g. Administration
plans for raising an army on the prin-
ciple Of universal liability to service,
TO he submitted to Congress as soon as
the pending war resolution is adopted,
are based on selectivc CONSUMPTION Of
young men 10 be summoned to the col
ors as rapidly as they can he trained
and oficcred A detailed scheme for
the registration Of eligiblcs has been
worked out
After married men. others with de-
ucndeuts and those whose service is re-
quired in industries have been exempted
others within the age limits fixed will
he examined physically. Those found
III will he selected possibly by lot. un-
I'll tho first 100000 to be trained are
obtained
II was made clear to-day that 100000
: nowhere near the limit needed and
that il is expected that more than 500,-
000 available will be found in the first
classification. Others will be trained as
rapidly as possible by officers from the
regular army. National Guard and Off
GERS reserve corps.
Age Limits Fixed
Maximum and minimum age limits
FOR the first call arc fixed in the Ad-
ministratiOn plan. but will not be made
public until il is presented to Con-
gross. In recent discussions a minimum
Of eighteen years and q maximum Of
-wcnty-three years have been men
tioned
Preliminary military steps possible
Id 10,
20 those already taken. They included
direction by Secretary Baker that the
first class at the West Point Military
Academy be graduated April 20. supply
ing 1875 highly trained young officers.
Universal. compulsory military train
ing legislation was formally launched
in the Senate by Senator Chamberlain,
Of Oregon, chairman Of the Military
Committee. who introduced his amend
ed bill providing for training of about
100000 men Of twenty years of age,
and in the Presidents discretion, many
thousands more up to twenty-three
years Of age. The bill was referred to
the committee.
The definite plans OF the War De.
partment are waiting to go forward TO
Congress when it is ready to receive
them. The first element the President
has already disclosed 1t is the as
Sembling OF 100000 men. and it is as
sumed that. coincident with the call
ing out Of the new army, orders to re-
cruit the regulars and guardsmen to
full strength will 80 out.
100000 Called Maximum
Army officers believe 100000 is the
maximum number they can undertake
10 train at once. When the work has
proceeded for q few months, however.
an additional 100000 could De called
out. to be followed at intervals OF =
few months by other similar in
crementS until a total army of the de-
sired size has been mustered. General
staff officials have consistently urged
that minimum of 100000 should be
provided for national defence. If that
number is taken as including the reg
ulars and National Guard, a new army
more than 100000 strong would be
necessary TO make the total.
The training of the first half million
will tax the personnel and machinery
Of the regular army 70 the limit Even
with provisional lists Of officers and
the officers reserve corps 20 call upon,
there will be a shortage OF training
personnel. The units Of the regular
army. il is said. Will be vitality neces-
sary to carry the work forward. For
that reason the suggestion that an eX-
peditionary force be sent to carry the
flag into France as symbol that the
United States was definitely and finally
aligned against Germany IN the world
war met with cold reception to-day
among officers Of the General Staff.
One officer said such step would be
military suicide"
There is much uncertainty as to the
use to which the National Guard is TO
be put under the new plan. 1t was
suggested that the full strength of the
state forces might be required for
protection of property within the Unit
ed States.