Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-08-10
MARRIED MEN MAY NOT Bt DRAFTED
 UNDER NEW LAW Secy. Baker Indicates That Marriage Will Constitute
 Exemption. WORK OR FIGHT"
 ORDER UNCHANGED War Secretary Declares He Does Not Contemplate Including Newspa. per Men and Lawyers In
 That Class.

Washington, Aug. 9.-New draft regulations under which the govern ment would do the selecting rather than leaving it to the registrant, are under consideration by the war de- partment.
 This was disclosed today by Secre tary Baker after he had appeared be- fore the senate military committee to urge prompt enactment of the new selective service act extending the age limits to include all men between the ages of IS and 45.
 The war secretary made it plain that he is not satisfied with the pres ent system under which the registrant must claim deferred classification, as many men with dependents hesitate for patriotic reasons to make such claims.
 Married Men In Deferred Classes.
 In this connection, MT. Baker said he was inclined to the opinion that the marriage relation will in itself constitute deferred classification. What MT. Baker has in mind is to lay down set of questions which the registrant would answer and then have rules which would take care of the classification. He is understood to regard this as the fair and equitable system.
 The discussion of the draft ages be- fore the senate committee, said MT. Baker followed much the lines taken by General Mares, chief of staff, and Provost Marshal General Crowder.
 The committee, he added did not indicate any disposition to question the necessity fo rthe lhange, which is urged so that the war department can uuickly secure the men necessary to win the war. No Change in "Work or Fight
 "There was some discussion" MT. Baker said, "as to whether it was the intention of the department to ex- tend the work or fight order to in- clude classes of persons in varlous principle occupations.
 q told them there was no present change of the work or fight order in contemplatation. "I said that when I decided the baseball case l thought perhaps other fcrms of amusement and entertain ment might require an extension or the order to be on a parity with the baseball situation, but that was not In their mind.
 "They had heard from outside sources that the department was considering bringing professional classes, like lawyers, newspaper men and others who were not actually en- gagged in producing war supplies un- der the order"
 The committee, MT. Baker, contin- ned. was especially interested in the effect of the extension of the draft ages on colleges and also in the ques, tion as to whether young from io m would be drawn indiscrimlnately in class one or placed in a deferred class bv age and drawn later, giving them some added months to come to maturity.
 "I told the committee" said the war secretary "that no fixed policy had heen determined upon by the depart ment. but that the purpose was to allow the president to defer in class me the call of the youngest men.
 q have always considered as you nerhaps remember, that 19 was the nroper minimum, and l have come to inc IS minimum only because 1t seems necessary to get the men,"
 "Eighteen years seem to many peo,, n,e a more tenderage than 19 and f. is for that reason that we are think mo of making this preferential defer ment me of men from IS to 19:" Senators said th7c in urging speedy enactment of the new man power -7Confinued on page six, 2d column.)