Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-04
CONSCR|PT|CNp[AN /
T0RA|SE BIC ARMY /
T0GO TO CONGRESS
First Unit of Half Million Ex-
pected to Be Formed With !
Young Men.
HUSBANDS AND SKILLED J
WORKERS TO BE EXEMPT
First Call to Affect Th hose From Is
to 23-Navy to Cooperate
With Allied Fleets.

to 23-Navy to Cooperate
With Allied Fleets.
Legislation under which an army OF
half a million young men may be raised
by selective conscription will be pres
sented to Congress by the War Departs
ment as soon as the pending war reso-
luton has been adopted. Only those
between certain ages yet to be an
nounced-possibly eighteen to twenty
three-are to be called, and of these
exemptions will apply to married men.
others with dependents, those needed
in war industries and men who fail to
show the proper physical condition.
Those remaining may be found more
than the number desired for the first
army, and another selection would be
necessary. possibly by lot. When that
army is sufficiently trained and sup
piled with officers from the regular
army. the National Guard and Officers
Reserve Corps another quota will
likely be called by the same process.
Graduation of the first class at the
West Point Military Academy April 20
will supply 125 trained officers.
May Draft Militia.
In connection with the army plans it
was pointed out today that under the
present national defense act the Ma
tional Guard can be brought to its full
war strength by draft. The force has
an authorized total strength of 10000.
and its present strength is about
10000. Orders to muster out men with
dependent families and those in the
government service or at work on gov
ernment contracts may reduce this
number considerably. a
1t is not known whether the wau
Department contemplates any change
in the present status of the guard.z
These troops would not be availablef
for service in Europe under existing
law. and. in addition. the full number
may be required for police work at
home. More than 10000 are now SO
employed.
In any event. if the guard is to be
recruited to full strength. it is as
sumed that provision will be made to
prevent a conflict between that service
and the new national army to be raised.
Probably recruits for the guard would
be sought among men excluded from
the new service by age Limitation. The
new army undoubtedly will be formed
Of young men.
Strength of Regulars.
The authorized strength of the regu-
lars is about 30O0 900 men of all branch-
es That service. unless change is
laN ha ed
with volunteers. men who wish to en-
gage in soldering as a professional
occupation.
In addition to exempting, on the first
call. married men and men with others
directly dependent upon them. provi-
sion will also be made for eNempting
skilled workers in many Industries
Such workers viii be looked upon as
performing military service il they
continue labor necessary for the in
dustrial welfare of the nation.
Among the workmen so exempted
probably will be skilled farmers. The
government realizes that one of the
most pressing problems before the ma
ton is the increase in the output OF
foodstuffs. as to continue to supply
the needs of the United States and en-.-
a BILE the government to send large sup
plies to the entente allies. The execu-
live committee of the labor committee
of the council of national defense will
hold meeting tomorrow morning for
the purpose Of further mapping oue
plans for the mobilization of the abor
supply of the country.
Fleet to Work With Allies.
Already the navy has taken steps to
insure cooperation between the Ameri-
can fleet and those of the entente allies,
to become effective upon the formal en-
try of the United States into the war.
only one big move in preparation for
war remains to be made in the Navy
That is mobilization OF
the Naval Militia and the various
classes of the Naval Reserve. The for
mer will go to the reserve ships of the
line filling out skeleton crews and
the ships ready for action.
From the latter will come the men for
the coast partol and submarine chaser
services. as well as additional men for
line ships.
Probably Is coo men could be added to
the navy personnel at once by this
1t has been estimated
that double that number would be re-
1utred for full patrol of the Atlantic
coast by motor boat 1t seems prob
able that unless sufficient volunteers
respond promptly, the universal service
system may be invoked to fill up the !
navy's ranks.
Mobilizing Supplies.
The national defense council is work. ,
ing assiduously preparing the channels
through which steady stream of muni-
lions and supplies may flow for army and |
navy needs. a
The corridors of the War and Navy deS
nartments were busy places today. and I
n air of suppressed excitement prevailed !
n all offices. Immediate preparations l
must be made TO double or treble the +,
,terical forces or both departments TO I
meet the coming strain. New quarters
INST be found to house the new civil ele-
nents Buildings near the State. War and
Zavy structure are being looked over for
his purpose.
In line with the Presidents sug-
,estion to Congress in his address that I
he present generation bear much
II the financial burden as possible, the !.
xays of providing money under con-
,ideration today included increasing
he excess profits tax. lowering the
cinimum for exemptions and increas-
NO the super tax under the income
-a1 law; increasing internal revenue !
.axes on some articles, and placing Z
mn taxes on some articles not now
ncluded. The general idea is to place
.axation most heavily on those best
lble to pay: Ii