Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-21
Amending tho Draft Law

THE announcement of Representative
i Kahn, who piloted the selective draft
bill through the House, that he will offer
amendments to that measure at the next ses-
sion OF Congress. changing the ago limits OF
the draft from twenty-one to thirty-one, as
at present to eighteen and forty years, will
precfptate vigorous fight. Tho chances
are that at least one Of the proposed amend
ments will fail.
Already the administration, through Sec
rotary of War Baker, has pronounced it's
opposition to any amendment which increases
the age limit. Mr.. Baker is willing to accept
eighteen years, II Congress sees lt to lower
the limit, but he and his military advisers
will protest uncompromisingly against the
CONSUMPTION OF men for military service
beyond the present limit Of thirty-one years.
He adds that the War Department still holds
to the conviction that twenty-six years should
have been fixed instead of thirty-one. The
secretary's reasons for his position are sound.
He states that when a man passes twenty-sfx
years OF age he is apt to become an Industrial
factor in the country. He Is producer and
is essential to some necessary business, occu-
patton or profession. This has boon found to
be true In most cases Of men between tho
ages of twenty-six and thirty-one who are
subject to field service under the present law.
An overwhelming majority Of the exemption
claims have been made by men of the older
ages Thousands Of industrtalists havo ap-
pealed to the government for the discharge Of
employees whose services are necessary to
their businesses, and ninety-nine out Of every
hundred OF such conscripts are mon beyond
the age OF twenty-six years Mr.. Baker cites
still another controlling reason for his opposi-
ton to the Kahn amendments He points out
that dependency prevails to a far greater
degree among men beyond twenty-sX years
than in cases OF men under that age. And
dependency. as our experience has already
shown, is perhaps the most serious question
with which the government has struggled in
the selection OF its new armies Every element
of good policy argues against the impress,
ment OF men OF dependent families into mill
tary service as long there are plenty Of
men for all purposes who have no such
obligations.
third point is made by the secretary
against drafting older men. He maintains
that men between eighteen and twenty-six
years are best qualified physically for tho life
OF soldier. They are more readily re.
sponsive to training. They enjoy greater
endurance under stress. They are moro plant
In mind and body and infinitely fewer Of them
have developed organic weaknesses. All this
has been proven by military experience but
never more conclusively than in the present
organization Of the National Army
With the whole administration. which
means the whole army staff fighting him, it is
unlikely that MIR. Kahn will make any head
way in the forthcoming session toward the
adoption Of his amendment increasing the age
limit. There Is good reason to believe, how
ever, that Congress will lower the age limit
to twenty years even to nineteen Also,
the law may be amended to make available
for draft the young men who havo attained
their twenty-lirst birthday since the last reg
istration. This would not be necessary of
course, II the limit were lowered