The Washington herald., 1918-08-16
4 MILLION MEN
FOR FRANCE
us. PLAN
New Bill Would Involve
This Number Effective
June 80 Next.
1900, 900 EXPECTED
| OF. NEW CATEGORIES
I32-S Age Should Yield
100000; 1920 Age
I,700,000
CONCENTRATION In WEST
MADE DEFINITE POLICY
Need for Full American Force in
France to Strike Knockout
Blow Is Realized.
100000 EXPECTED
| OF. NEW CATEGORIES
CONCENTRATION In WEST
MADE DEFINITE POLICY

The favorable report prepared
on the new man-power bill re.
veals in part the secret testimony
before the Senate Military Affairs
Committee and the military aims
and needs of the United States
and the allies.
1t has been stated that if the
bill, which extends the draft ages
to include all male persons of Is
to 4s years old, becomes a law
the IS to 20 classes will be called
last. This is the plan of the War
Department, but it is also the
plan to have the 2,3o8,S45 effec.
tives called into military service in
France by June 80, 1910, and oi
this humber it is estimated tina,
1,Io7, ,6oo will be of the ages OF Is
to 20, and that but Col, ,236 effec,
tives of the ages of 81 to IS will
be drawn for military service un,
der the new draft.
Discrepancy Explained.
This wide discrepancy is due to the
fact that the young men are free OF
dependents and are physically fit fol-
military service. while among the
older men only q small percentage
are free from dependents and physi-
cally fit for active service.
The new army TO be raised under the
msn-power BILL estimated roundly al
$4,000 men, will provide an -Ameri-
can army Of more than 100000 men
on the front in France, and concern
. ing the need of such an army, Gen.
Peyton C. March. chief OF staff, gave
the following testimony before the
Senate Committee:
1T is up to us to win the war and
We can win 1t. How long 1t will
take will depend exactly upon what we
do. II we drag along with this thins
and put a small force over there, we
will be playing Germany's game. 1,
is my belief that, with an American
army of 4,oco,OOo men in France under
one commander-in-chief. we can &C
through the German line wherever
we please"
Then America has got to put
enough men over there to whip Ger.
many?' asked Senator Kirby.
That is 1t in a nutshell" replied
Gen. March. The authority which
was granted the President in this
bill gives him the power to call ou,
all classes, but does not make il
mandatory"
Tells Object of Law.
In explaining the objects and need
Of the legislation Gen. March said:
The United States government has
been asked by her allies to embark
upon a program so large that 1t was
necessary very carefully to ascertain
whether we could go through with II
or not, and one Of the features Of this
enlarged program was providing men
THE desire of the administration is
to establish limits, both maximum and
minimum, which will accomplish this
program and at the same time disor-
ganize the industries of the colOtry
as little as possible. The policy OF
the War Department is to put the
maximum number of men in France
with the idea Of shortening the war
We found from the figures furnished
by the Provost Marshal General that
we could embark on a program OF
eighty divisions in France by June 80
1919. with eighteen divisions at home
These divisions consist Of roughly
-
longed study Of the available man.
power Of the United States, the Pro-
vost Marshal General showed that II
of age and go to IS in order to get
the men to carry 1t through.
"All of the men obtained under the
proposed change in the draft law-ap-
proximately $500, ,000-we expect to
have in France by June 30. 1919."
Better to Use Young Men.
"As a matter Of fact, Is 1t not your
opinion that 1t is better for the coun-
try. better for the army, better fol
the service. to call out these younger
classes-that is. the men IS, 10 and q
years Of age-than it. is to call out
men 80 and up?" asked Senator Reed
"My opinion is unoualifiedly in ia
vor of the young man." replied Gen
March. The young men between Il
and 20 are usually not married; they
have not settled down in life; they
have not any encumbrances, and they
are better of physically.
"The President has finally an
nounced that the American miIitar,
CONTINUED on PAGE NINE.