Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-14

washington, Marcn l2.-Etght hundred
thousand men are to be called to the colors
gradually during the present year, under
the second army draft, which begins on
March 20.
An announcement to-day by Provost
Marshal General Crowder of the number
to be called was followed closely by an
order for the mobilization of $1,000 men
during the five-day period beginning
March 20, some 1900 of them to be as
sembled under the second draft Eighty
thousand will be men Of the first draft of
6S7.0OO not yet summoned into service
Details of how the second draft is to be
applied will be made public later, after
Congress has acted upon proposed legisla-
tion providing for the registration Of
youths attaining the age of q years and
for basing State and district quotas on
the number of registrants in class one. In
his first official statement on the subject.
however. General Crowder assures the
country that no sweeping withdrawal Of
large numbers of men at one time is con-
templated, and that care will be taken to
avoid interference with harvesting.
5000 ARE NEEDED NOW.
The 5000 men now called, 1t is under
stood. are needed at once to f1ll up dvi-
departure or to take the place of men
transferred from other divisions to make
up suoh deficiencies. Newly organized
regular divisions are particularly short of
men and heavy drafts on national army
divisions to make these good have been
necessary, seriously interfering with the
training work Of the national army divi-
sions drawn upon.
The call for new men makes 1t probable
that no further transfers will be neces-
sary.
The 100000 men to be summoned
this year represent the number neces-
sary to fill up all existing divisions. to
create all the army corps and feld army
troops to NIL out the war machine for
which the framework already exists
and to provide quarter of a million
replacement troops When they have
been mobilized, which will not be COM
pleted before the first Of next year,
there will be more than forty full in
fantry divisions of 27,7OO men each and
all the additional units necessary. No
additional divisions of the national
army or national guard will be created
this year. although the program for the
regular army. now composed of eight
infantry and one cavalry division, may
be enlarged.
The first purpose Of the war depart
ment is to complete the first field army
I'm France. Probably this will be COM
posed Of five army corps of six infantry
divisions each. 1t has been estimated
that with that force and it's necessary
auxiliaries at his disposal, General
Pershing would be able to hold a 100-
mile sector of the battlefront, relieving
the strain upon French man power
during 1918 to that extent.
| GENERAL CROWDER'S STATEMENT.
A statement issued by Provost Marshall
General Crowder to-day says:
THE next national quota will be an
nounced and apportioned among the sew
eral States as soon as pending legislation
authorizing a change in the basis of COM
, Dutation Is enacted by Congress. The
number that will be assumed as basis
| for computation will be 100000. which
is we'll within the authorization of clause
four in section one Of the selective serv-
ice act of a second increment of 100000
men, increased by the recruit training
units authorized by clause five Of said
| section one. and by the special and tech
nical troops authorized by section two Of
said act. 1t cannot now be announced
what the total number to be called to the
colors each month will be, but 1t may be
l
than can be properly accommodated and
promptly assimilated.
There are difficulties confronting the
nation in the supply Of labor appurtenant
| to agriculture. Glass /, from which new
levies are to be withdrawn, will contain
many more men than are at present fol
the army. 1t would be a most unscientifo
and fatuous step II the men in class one
wer called Unfortunately without re-
gard to the labor situation in agriculture
Therefore. the local boards will be direct
ed to fill their quotas in the order of liabil'
ity of men In class one as determined by
the national drawing. except that. where
it IL shown that a registrant Is completel!
and assiduously engaged in the planting
cultivation or reaping of crop. his cal
to the colors shall be deferred to the foo'
OF the quota of his board as long as NJ
continues to be so engaged.
whenever any registrant. whose cal
to the colors has been deferred by rea-
son Of his engagement in agriculture. IL
shown to have been idle on the farm or
which he is engaged or to have trlhed
with the deferment that has been accord
ed him, the boards will forthwith induct
him into military service II his order
number has been reached In the mean
time. The effect of this expedient is te
grant furloughs from service prior to
actual call to the colors to the men sc
greatly needed In the production of this
years crop.
This is not. however, the only expe'
dent that is to he adopted to conserve
the supply of labor appurtenant to agri'
culture and to mobilize all means fol
increasing the harvest for the agricul
tural season of 1918
There Is now pending before Congress.
a bill authorizing the secretary of wal
to grant furloughs, with or without pay
to men in the army to enable them t.
engage in industrial and agricultural pur
suits. These furloughs will be granted
after consideration of the circumstance
Of the individual case In which they aris,
and when the military situation is sucl
that they can be granted without too
great disruption and disorganization O
the army or of any particular organization
of the army.
"As to further means to protect agricul