Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-24
dates The people Of the enemy countries
must look forward to the coming winter with
many gloomy forebodings
The House Should Reject 1t

THE House Committee on Military Affairs
has accepted an amendment to the man
power bill which places the eighteen-y year old
class of registrants beyond the call Of the
War Department for perhaps year by CIV
ing them what amounts to deferred classif-
cation. This amendment was urged upon
the ground that it is bad policy to send boys
OF that age into the army long there
are Older men who might meet the quotas
which the government demands, view which
invites the sympathy of most Of us. and one
to which the War Department itself SUBJ
scribes.
There are sound reasons why these boys
should be held back long as the military
situation will permit. Practically all Of them
are III school To draft them at once along
with the nineteen and twenty-year- class
would be to close most of the colleges OF the
country and to suspend advanced education
OF the American youth until the war is over.
moreover. there is some argument against
making soldiers of immature young men,
sending them 5000 miles from home to en-
gage in the most desperate war of all time.
And this argument holds notwithstanding the
testimony of practically every military au-
thority that boys of this age make ideal fight
ms men once they have received their train
ing and have become accustomed to discipline.
But the War Department volunteers to do
for the younger men everything that the Nc
kenzie amendment provides. The secretary
himself has assured the committees of Con-
gress that it is not the purpose OF the govern
ment to call tho eighteen-yea r-old class until
after the older classes have been exhausted.
The provision in the administrators bill
authorizing the President TO create various
classes with view to calling them to the
colors at different periods was written into
that measure to meet just such a situation as
the House committee seeks to control by leg
iSlatve declaration.
With conditions changing on the French
battle front almost overnight; with German
ofcnsives being turned into defeats and with
the allies blowing their way through the
enemy lines, it would be most unfortunate
If the United States governments hands were
tied i'll any manner that might render its
forces ineffective in this conflict. At the
present moment there seems to be no likeli-
hood that General Pershing will need the
eight yearold boys in France before the
summer Of 1919. But no human being can
foresee the possibilities in that theater Of
war 1t might come to pass that the fighting
viii! continue throughout the whole winter
The German rearward movement might not
end until the Rhine is reached, and it might
happen that the presence of just 100000
more Americans would deal the blow that
would break the German military machine
months earlier than otherwise would be the
case.
In view of these possibilities it seems I'M
wise that any arbitrary restrictions should
be placed upon the government i'm giving 1t
command of the man power of the country
The President can be trusted TO use wisely
what power may be placed in his hands
ara his assurance that the younger boys will
not he called until absolutely needed can be
accepted at its full face value.