Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-04
ARMY DRAFT AGES
WILL Be EXTENDED
Measure Will Be Sent to Con-
gress Monday, Leaders
Declare.
TAKES MEN 18 TO as YEARS
President Is Given Authority to
Call Men by Classes
When Needed.
TAKES MEN 18 TO as YEARS

WASHINGTON. August 3-pra<,
ages Of from eighteen 20 fo-,v-nvc
wears Will be recommended to Congress
in the bill embodving the War p,r,-t
merts new man-power program wIi-f
will be introduced in bo.h :,ou7es of
Congress Monday and expedited D.?
committees with Il view to p-or y,
consideration when regular sessions of
the Senate and House are resumed
late this month
After formally announcing the new
draft ages. Secretary Baker said all
the possible combination Of age linus
were carefully studied and il was tnund
that in order 3" get the men into class
] for the program proposed. eightecr
10 foIfyfve was necessary Ec said.
however. that the bill as recor1-.cnd-
cd 10 Congress will contain a provision
authorizing the President to cal. mel
"ut Of class l by classes according to
ages. SO that If it is found possible.
the mon between eighteen and ni-.c
teen will be called out later than tn,
older men win" are fourd eligible &,
class :.
The War Department program. the
War Secretary said, is purely a aiit.
tarr ohe. and cannot pe called Il con-
scription of labo.. although IT ratur-
ally will have the effect OF putting
At useful labor or n the army all able
bodied men within the ace limits as
they finally will he fixed by Congress
In rccommc cndinG this extension oe
the age limits. MIR. Eaker continued.
the department had it in mind simply
TO get for the army the number OF
men which IT believed necessary to
defeat Germany.
Tho secretary was not prepared to
say how many that would be, nor TO
give any estimate as to the proper
ton of males between 'he ages of
eighteen to forty-fve. inclusive. which
would be found eligible.
WILL FOLLOW SAME
RULE AS IN FIRST DRAFT
In making up tho list and classes.
tho; su,ne rule will DO followed that
has governed in the fi.Es: draft. with
lit1e same exceptions from the nrst
call OF married men with dependents
and those engaged in essential indus
tries. Mr.. Baker gave it as hi. onin-
ION that. SO far. about 100000 have
been drafted out of class / from the
existing list.
There has been corside able o3rosi-
,ion iE Congress in lowering tho mimi
mum age, many members being re!rci
ant to draft youths before they at
tain their majority and come into full
citizenship. Senator Chamh, rain,
chairman OF the Senate Military Com
mittee. SAID to-day that he expected
opposition on that score, but expressed
the opinion that there would not be
unusual delay in passing the bill
Some members of Congress believe
that the man-power bill Will he taken
up imn ediatcly after Congress resume
regular sessions and disposed OF h.
fore the new war revenue lcSiS'at OF
Is considered.
Senator Chamberlain explained rat
under the bill men betsccn eighteen
and twenty-one would be divided int"
three classes, subject to call oF ;'H
President in such sequence OF years y"
he prescribed Tie senate" a1dcd th"t
The calling of men between ihirty-onc
and forty-fve would be made y! =
similar p.an. lie expressed the op.ni'h'
however. that the younger men-thoSe
between eighteen and twenty-Dn" yei-rS
would be called first, and that IL
would not be necessary 20 call those
hctwe.n thirty-one and forty-hvc.