Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-27
SENATE TO WAIT
I ON BAKERS WORD
Vote Will Be Deferred on
Extension of Draft
Age
WILL DEPLETE CLASS l
No Arrangements Made for
Emergency When All Are
Gone in December
WILL DEPLETE CLASS l
BY CLINTON ". GILBERT

,sto6 Correspondent Evening Public Ledger
Washington, June 27.-Congress is
not likely to change the draft age
until it is asked to do so by the War
Department.
Secretary Baker has requested that
no action be taken until studies now
being made are completed and a re-
port is compiled and a plan adopted
by the army. His request is likely to
be complied with.
The Senate wanted an excuse for
not increasing the draft age and Secre
tsry Baker furnished one. It is, say
the Democratic Senators and some Re.
publicans, too, the business of the
Executive to say whether the reservoir
OF men Is large enough. whether any
emergency exists such as calls for
extending the conscription period.
= The Executive, through the Secre
tary of War and the Chief of Staff of
the army. says that no emergency
exists and the Senate sighs a deep
sigh of relief.
Baker Explains Draft Situation
put his view of the situation thus:
Il told the COMMITTEES on Miitar,
Anairs that there were in Glass 1 now
including those who have recently come
IN by registration, men enough to pro-
vide for the persons to be drafted dur.
ing the remaining months of this yeal
without a change of the age limit. Thai
is, they knew the War Department wa.
constantly anxious to expand its mil
ftary program, and that we were now
very actively considering an increase
md If that increase is possible to recon-
mend to them. on their return from thei,
recess (if they take such a recess)
further appropriations of men ant
further measures to make, more mer
available for the increased program
but there was no chance. with the exist
Ing size of Glass / and with the actua
number Of men in camp, of being placed
where we would not have all the mer
possible to ship abroad.
"As 1 understand from Genera
Crowder, the whole of Glass must bt
exhausted everywhere in the country be
fore Class 2 can be invaded.
Il said to the committee that tn,
: number of men In Glass 1 qualified fol
full military service. plus those in Clas.
1 qualified for limited military service
Is sufficient to meet all prospective
drafts between now and the time in the
future when the committee by postpon
ing considerable, now will not in any
case come a time when we will not have
plenty of men to send abroad in al
available shipping.
War Department Has Expanded Plan
s"The War Department has from the
beginning been expanding its military
lprogram We are many months ahead
of what was our original hope in regard
Ito the transportation of men. We are
&constantly seeking ways to expand that
wand we are in the midst of a plan now
Z to expand 1t again.
"The reservoir of men now in camps
Via this country is sufficiently large to
Eenable us with perfect safety to reach
that conclusion and put in operation the
NECESSARY machinery to get additional
men in Glass l in plenty of time before
those already in the camps could be ex,
hausted."
The issue is singular. All that was
proposed to do was to permit the Presi.
dent to- draw men of other ages than
those he is now permitted to draw. There
iswas nothing compulsory about 1t. II
.the unexpected happened he would be
sready.
Z Here are the figures. The War De.
partmert is going to sail 100000 men
sin August. 100000 in September. 150, ,00O
lin October, 100000 in Noyember and
F127,559 in December. II will then have
IAN army OF 100000 Americans and
n 10000 Canadians and British residents
,smade available under the recent treaty
Z S,45o, 900 in all And Glass l will be just
sexhausted. There will be no balance In
I the bank or emergencies.