The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1918-01-10
GLIDER Men MAY
Be PUT IN DRAFT
Increase Of Age From 81 to IS
Years Is Forecast BY Crow
der In Report
WILL Be NEEDED TO AID
Draft Of Older Men Would Be Mainly
For Skilled War Labor BIT Also
To Distribute Burdens of
Conflict.

Washington, Jan. Provost Mar
shal eneral Crowder. In his compre-
hcrsiye report 10 the secretary OF
war, says that an increase in the
draft age TO 40 or As years is one OF
the probabilities of the future"
The draft of the older men should
be mainly for skilled labor, but also
to distribute the burdens OF the war.
Youth Plentiful.
There are plenty OF young men for
the first line fighting. Crowder had
shown, but &c also points out there Is
a danger of "injuring the coming gen.
Grafton by taking away too many OF
the -aggressiveiy patriotic young
Hfst.
0nt OF the 1868, 249 men between
the ages OF 81 and 35. Crowder esti-
mates 3,525,472 are unmarried aud
that 80 per cent of the latter figure,
or 1~,3S9,3SS, would be accepted for
service under the present regulations.
Best Soldiers Are Young.
Advocating tbs legislation, Grow
der said:
The younger men are generally
deemed to make the soundest and
most pliable military material. On
the other hand. the older mon arc
more likely TO yield in large numbers
the Occupational skill so necessary in
the varied compositions OF the mod.
arn army.
Under the national selective serv-
Ice system. which seeks to distribute
the burden equally among the will
ing and unwilling, 1t is important.
n not essential, to include tie older
men because the smaller proportion
of them Is likely to enlist"
Position Advantageous.
Under the new system a card In
dex will be compiled In Washington
after the ~questionnaires are all re-
turned. In this way the government
will be able to put It's finger on men
III certain trades just when they arc
needed.
The whole labor problem can thus
be controlled" Crowder pointed out.
Adjustments in order that this
nation may be In the most advanta-
geous position ever occupied by q
hciligerent power In war would thea
be possible"
Thousands Fail TO Appear.
Fifty thousand real slackers In the
United States is : Provost Marshal
General Il. ii. Crowder's estimate in
his report to Secretary N. ID. Baker.
That calculation supposes that 10
mon In each registration district
have escaped service withou. being
caught.
While q few more than ESQ, 900 OF
the more than 5000. 900 registered
lien failed 10 appear when called for
examination General Crowder esti-
maacs leaves about $4,000 real slack.
nto military service without notify-
Ing local boards.
This leaves more than 10000 to
be accounted for" says the provost
marshal general.
76,545 AlIens in Army
General Crowder estimates 100. 900
probably are aliens. This no esti-
mates leaves about $4,000 real slack
eSs 70 be accounted for. Only a few
more than $4,000 have been identified
and q few more than 1000 have been
prosecuted.
The report shows that 92S Ger
mans OF draft age have been accepted
for yerstce in the national army. A
total OF 14.161 enemy aliens were ac-
cepted. the remainder being Aus.
trims or Hungarians. The enemy
alien registration was 279,43f, of
whom 1o4.672 we're called to produce
thp H,1G1 accepted. All aliens acc
eepfed make a total OF 76.h45