Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-05
FIRST DRAFT TO
Be FOR NEARLY
MILLION OF men
General Crowder Tells Senate
Committee that Exemptions
Probably viii Reduce the
Number to 625,0 900.

Washington, June 4.-Plans OF the
War department to draft from 100000
TO- 100000 men Of the 100000 who
it is estimated will register tomor-
row for the new army, were disclosed
today by Provost Marshal General
Crowder to the senate military affairs
committee. Exemptions, he said,
probably would result in reducing the
number to 625,000 men for immediate
service.
While the War department had
originally planned to select 100000
nen, General Crowder told the COM
mittee the plans have been revised,
and it is now proposed to require
625000. To secure that number he
said it probably will be necessary to
draft at least 100000 and possibly
100000, because OF the expected ex-
emptions.
Will Fill Vacancies. q
General Crowder told the commit
tee the additional l25,000 will be
needed to fill up vacancies in the
army of 100000 and to keep training
camps in continuous operation. When
the original plans for service from
half million men were made, he
said, the department had not planned
to send American forces abroad SO
soon. Casualties from foreign scrv-
| ice, he believed, sickness, etc, make
necessary reserve of l25,0O0 men,
in addition to the men on duty at
training camps. 81.
General Crowder told the commit
tee he favored immediate drafting of
men registering rather than postpone
meut OF the draft for several weeks
after registration. He regarded it de-
sirable that men drafted may know
and can have few weeks to make
their personal arrangements before
called to the eolors.
No Class Exemptions.
| Details OF making exemptions also
were explained to the committee by
| the provost marshal general. He said
| the government does not contemplate
any class exemptions, but that all will
be personal. Farmers. factory opera.
tives and other special classes would
not be exempted as such, nor terrific
rally, but all exemptions, will bemadc
individually.
The men drafted probably vii be in
training camps by September |, Gen
eral Crowdef said, but added that he
favored beginning selections within
| two weeks after registration, so that
exemption work may be expedited
and notifications Of final selections
may be made as soon thereafter as
possible. a.
Enforcing Registration Law.
All activities of the department Of
justice have been concentrated upon
the enforcement Of the conscription
law. Attorney General Gregory issued
a statement to this fectttoday.
"Ali other matters for the time be-
ing" he said, will be subordinated
to the enforcement of the conscription
act. Wherever necessary the assis-
tance of federal, state and local Off
cials will be sought. The officers and
agents of the department throughout
the country have been instructed ac-
cordingly.
Committing magistrates will be
asked to fix bail as high as may be
practicable in each case. Higher bail
will be asked in the eases OF individ-
uals who have advised or aided other
persons to evade the law or who have
interfered with the registration Off
GERS in the proper performance of
their duties, than will be asked in the
case OF individuals who merely fail to
register"
Italians living in this country were
urged to register by the prince of
Udine, head of Italy's war mission,
in an address to a delegation of his
countrymen who called on him at the
embassy.
1t was announced today that the re-
quiremept of the new law that the
registration cards of men absent from
their home precincts reach the pre-
cinct registrar by June 5 would not
be enforced against Americans now
abroad. Instructions sent to Amer
lean consuls, accompanying registra-
ton cards, however, ask those who
fill out the blanks to get them back
to the registrars as quickly as possi-r
bic.
The regulations provide that Amer.
leans returning to the United States
must register within FIVE days after
their arrival at an American port.
Registration at the consulates abroad,
however, is pr-ely voluntary and can
not be enfo' while the citizen re-
mains out OF the country