The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-21
Opposition to Taking Young
Men Causes Trouble.
May Seriously Delay Putting
Army Into France.
PRESIDENT WILL APPEAL
May Appear Before House To
Ask Support of Measure.
Men of Draft Age May Be Sent
to College.

Washington, Aug. 21.-A favorable
report was voted by the house mill
tary committee today on the admin
istration manpower bill. with an
amendment providing that youths
from Is to 20 years of age shall be
placed in separate classifications to
be called into military service after
men from 20 to As.
Another amendment by Chairman
Dent provides that the fact that a SOL
der has not reached 81 shall not bar
him from a commission.
A section added at the request of
the war department provides that
men of draft age may be sent to col
leges for technical training in uniform,
without changing their military
status
Washington, Aug. 21.-Unwilling-
ness of some of congress to draft men
under 20 threatened today to block
temporarily the army program of get
ting eighty divisions of American
troops in France by next June.
Will Delay Passage.
This is the program Chief of Staff
March has declared will beat &c
many during 1919. The man power
bill. as it will be reported to the
house today by the military affairs
committee, carries an amendment
placing boys of IS and 10 in special
men in class 1 are summoned. The
amendment threatens to impede the
army program in two ways. First to
delay its passage thru the house and
senate and in all probability force
prolonged conferences between the
two Hpuses.
Second, to force General Crowder
to do over again much of the work
already completed in preparation of
the new draft.
President May Appeal to Congress.
AS a result, President Wilson. If
congress to strike out the objection
able provision. Unless the manpOWer
bill is enacted within the next month,
the war department will be forced to
curtail troop shipments to France or
take the chance of an Industrial up
heaval by invading deferred classes,
according to Secretary of War Baker,
General March and Provost Marshal
General Crowder.
Believe Amendment VIII Lose G.
Opponents of the amendment today,
however, still held out the hope that
it can be defeated on the floor EV-
cry committee man who voted against
the measure reserved the right to
fight it They will point out that the
country already has the promise OF
Secretary of War Baker that boys OF
Is will be the last called and that the
calling OF these men cannot be de-
ferred in any event later than next
June.
General Crowder's statement that
such a plan would force the amend
ment of regulations and reprtnting of
missionaries resulting in long delay
and confusion will also be used to bat
tie the amendment.
Administration pressure may be
called into the fight. if it becomes
nee -sary.
Opposes Drafting Married Slackers.
ANOTHER amendment opposed by
Baker which will likely go into the bill
provides for the drafting for the So
called married slackers. Baker has
asked that this be left to regulations
because they are not SO rigid as writ
ten statutes.
The Thomas work or fight amend
ment is almost sure to be left out of
the bill when it goes to the house.
Altho the manpower bill will be re-
ported today, Chairman Dent of the
military co. 1nittee does not expect to
call it up until Thursday. He believes
It will go thru in one day.