New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
4,778,OOO Men in u. S. Fit
To AnSWer Call to Arms
Substitution of Women for Workers in Industries Would
Mean Big Gain in Available Military Force, Mayors
Committee Defence Reports

tain factors. In addition to the NOR
bidity rate and the physical rejection
rate. there is TO be considered tie de.
tendency of families and the need OF
men of mature years in the business
and industry Of the country.
In 1910 the males from eighteen 10
forty-five years old in the United
States numbered 2l,07l, 076. Although
approximately 100000 were aliens,
and, therefore, ineligible for military
service, the officials of the Census Blu
reau consider that the increase IN
population between 1910 and the
summer of 1916 mas about compen-
stated for these.
Through a deduction Of 2h per cent
for morbidity, the total Of 21,O1l,OIo
becomes 20,544,3O0, and through de-
duction Of about l2la per cent Tor
physical defects, there is further
reduction 20 1S,007,0s0.
Men Needed at Home
The Census tables showing the aum-
Der of men in various occupations
farmers, factory workers, miners,
physicians, lawyers, railroad employees,
clerks, public officials, and so on
have been carefully examined, and the
effort has been made to reach an APP
proximate estimate of the number
that could be spared for military duty
in a serious emergency. This leads
to the estimate that 17.606,000 out OF
the 30,091 .564 employed, or $50 per
cent. could be brought into service,
if needed. And this percentage, APP
piled to the 1907 ESQ physically ft
between eighteen and forty-fve years
old, gives 10,535,940.
Still unconsidered, however, is mari
tai condition, Or dependency. Though
unmarried men have dependents. there
are married men who are in such cir
cumstances that they can do military
service without imposing hardship upon
their families. How nearly the latter
come to offsetting the former cannot
be stated, even approximately. In this
calculation all the single, widowed and
divorced men are assumed to be avail
able and all the married men unavail-
able.
OF the 21,O71 ,O76 men from eighteen
TO forty-five years old 4o.35 per cent
are single, widowed or divorced 1885
per cent being single). If this per-
centagc be applied to the 10,o35,94
the figure arrived at after deductions
for sickness, physical defects and indus
trial necessities-the number available
for service becomes 4,77S,050, or 22.7
per cent of the entire number of males
from eighteen to forty-five. This is
about one out of five.
In the attempts to estimate nation 5
human military resources it has TO be
borne in mind that the result depends
upon highly elastic factors. Upon the
seriousness of the emergency which
faces nation must depend in great
degree the proportion of exemptions
from military duty. Just as the United
States, even under a system of obliga-
tory service, might call out far fewer
men than 4,778,050, so also-by the re-
cruiting of older men. by the lowering
of the physical standards and by the
employment of women in occupations
now open only TO men-it could put
far greater number under arms.
The executive committee OF this body
is composed of Willard Straight Chair
man, Cleveland n. Dodge, William n.
Dykman, Major Francis G. Landon,
John Mitchell. George ". Perkins,
Henry l.. Stimson, Alfred f. Smith
and Alexander N. White.