The Sentinel=record., 1918-05-02
ESTIMATE THAT 5000, 900
MEN CAN BE EQUIPPED
Under the New Classification Scheme
There Are Understood to Be 1900.
900 Immediately Available tor Ac.
tive Military Service in Glass One.


row the army increase program
mapped out by President Wilson and
his advisors and based on the deter
mination to win the war, if it takes the
whole man power of the nation to do
1t There are indications that he will
ask that all restrictions on the num-
ler of troops to be raised be removed
and thet he be allowed to mobolize az
many men as it can equip, train and
send to the battle front i'm France
When the war secretary appears be-
Tore the house military committee
with supplemental estimates for the
army he is expected to disclose that
the department has reason to believe
1t can handle during the present wear
at least double the existing force un-
der arms of approximately 100000
men. That would mean a total of
3,200,0C0 soldiers for whom clothing.
equipment and transportation are now
In sight. Should additional facilities
become available, however, it is indi-
Gated that President Wilson wishes to
be able to call out more men without
delaying to seek authority.
Evidence came today in various
ways of the tremendous effort that
now is being made to send American
armies into the fight in such num-
hers and in such time as to make vic
tory certain In the morning the heads
Of the shipping board and the war in
auiries board met with the war coun-
ell composed of army officials, DE
tails Of additional ships and supplies
we're gone into, it is understood. on the
basis OF the recent surveys of the 81.
uaiion.
Later the presidents war cabinet
met with him at the white house and
went over the ground thoroughly.
Secretary Baker remained more than
IAN hour with the president after the
other members of the war cabinet had
left
In the house Chairman Dent, of the
military committee, introduced a bill
that would authorize the mobilization
.of four million men instead of one
million, to which the government is
limited by the existing act Mr. Dent
said the measure was his own and he
had no. consulted the war department
on It
Under the new classification scheme
there are understood to be 100000
men Immediately available for active
military service in class one That
estimate is based on the returns of
numerous states and the law of aver
ages
1t excludes all men rated as fit only
for limited special service, all delin-
quents, slated for immediate induction
into class one when apprehended AMI
all OF the so-called remedial cases.
tho men who will be fit Tor active
service after operations or medical
treatment to correct minor physical
defects
Behind that also stand the men who
have reached q years since the draft
act was passed and who will be
brought in under pending amendments
Probably the total of electives in
class one will prove to be 100000
men when the definite figures are
available
This is the first reservoir from
which men will be drawn to fill up
the new armies. 1t is conceivable that
class one will be exhausted in time.
but not that It would fail to furnish
all the men who can be shipped to
France before congress meets again.
For this reason it Is regarded as prob
able that the questions OF increasing
age limits CT the draft act or OF draw
| ing upon class two can be deferred
until congress again convenes
While plans for the future have been
shaping up for presentation to con-
gress, the war department has been
pressing vigorously it's efforts to ex-
lpedite the movement TO France OF men
Ialready under arms. Secretary Baker
appeared today before the conference
of shipping board officials with ship
owners and seamen's unions to urge
prompt manning of new ships. He
told the conference that the acceler-
ated movement OF troops was going
smoothly.
The record Of achievement during
the last few weeks is pointed to with |,
pride by war department officials |
Military precautions forbid disclosure !
|of the rate at which the army Is be
ing sent to the front but Mr. Baker |
will be able to give the house com
mittee some interesting figures in this |
fSgard.
vn pressing forward the troops the !
w department, It is learned has