The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-15
General March Says
Umited States Must,
DeiUer Final BZO1e,
DETERMINED TO CENTER THE WAR FROM NOW
ON ON THE WEST FRONT, HE TELLS SEN
ATE COMGITTEE-ARMY OF 100000
HE SAYS, CAN WHIP GERMANS =

/ situation went on and a few days
| ago 1t became clear to us that the go
division plan was perhaps the
| maximum which we could possibly
hope to accomplish, and that to ac-
complish that 1t would be necessary
to change the age limits from the
present limits to 18 to 49,
Secretary Baker said he asked the
surgeon general for a formal opin-
| ion as to what changes he would rec
ommend, to which the surgeon gems
eral suggested the ages Is to IS.
The bill as 1t is written meets
with my entire approval" declared
Secretary Baker. Asked by Senator
Johnson, Of California, If he believed
the pending bill was essential to
carry out the purpose for which the
United States entered the war,
Secretary Baker replied:
Il believe that to be the fact. My own
Judgment Of 1t originally was that 10
should be the minimum, and came
to the 1S minimum only after
thorough study of the situation, and
with some reluctance, but finally be-
1ieving 1t to be necessary to secure
the appropriate number Of men,"
The committees action in re-
porting the bill, the report says, is
based upon the necessity of the
government in this crisis" and upon
the opinion Of the secretary of war.
the chief Of staff and the probability
that 1t will be better to extend the
draft ages than to 'invade those
classes which have been deferred by
law and by regulations Of the war
department"
Regarding the work or fight
amendment Of Senator Reed, pro-
vidinE for withdrawal OF deferred
classification for men absent from
work without cause, the report says;
Question of Good Faith.
'Tt seems to the committee that in
view OF the fact we are about to
authorize the drafting Of boys be-
tween Is and 81, as we'll as those
above 81 up to and inclusive Of IS
and are providing for the exemption
Of men between 18 and IS who are
engaged in useful and necessary oc-
cupations from actual service in
the ranks, that when any are ex-
empted solely from the reason that
their services are more valuable to
the nation in the production OF
things essential to prosecution OF
war, ana when they cease in good
faith to follow the occupation they
ought to be subject to the draft as
in other cases.
THE young man not engaged in
these occupations must wear the
enter the ranks and bare
his breast to the weapons Of the Ger
man army. He cannot refuse to
work even for an hour and he is
compelled to fight whether he feels
disposed to do so or not. In view
Of this, when a young man Is ex-
empted from the draft solely in or
der that he may engage in an es-
sentlaI industry, he ought to con-
tinue in that employment, in good
faith while any grievance Is being
adjusted by the industrial board and
If he fails to do SO, he ought to be
subject to draft.
'The provision does not pretend to
interfere with the right OF any man TO
cease labor when he pleases to do
so, but simply says to him that tf
he does cease, he shall, under SUCH
as the President may
prescribe, subject himself to the
draft as though he had not been ez-
empted in the first instance"