Evening star., 1918-05-23
Over Four Million to Cross in
Year, Representative
Caldwell Says.
Statement APPROVED
BY WAR Department
Exhaustive Figures Are Submitted
Showing Americas Achievement
With Relative Strengths Of
Opposing Armies.

| "When Gen. Joffre made the request
for small expeditionary force the
critics of the administration demanded
what they thought was the impossible
-i.e., that we ship to France during the
first year $4,000 to 100000 men. Dur
ing the first ten days of May we ship
ped 100000"
This assertion was made in the course
of a comprehensive statement placed
before the House yesterday of the War
Departments program and accomplish
ments by Representative Charles Pope
Caldwell of New York.
Over 4,OOO,O 600 in France in Year.
Representative Caldwell stated that
there now are 2,O7s.222 officers and
men under arms. OF these more than
100000 now are in France and
go. In a year. he said. there will
be between 100000 and 100000
men in France.
The statement of Representative
Caldwell fo we'd an interchange Of
letters with -.e Secretary Of War
as the result Of which Mr.. Caldwell
obtained from the War Department
statements approved by the depart
ment, and his statement OF yester-
day, therefore, is considered of a
semi Official character.
Beat England Sending Men.
OF the record Of the American Army
so far Mr.. Caldwell said:
America has raised and equipped
a bigger Army in a shorter time and
now holds a greater section OF the
fighting front. transporting her forces
5000 miles across an infested sea. in
ten months, than England was capa-
BILE Of doing in twelve months across
the English channel of less than
went farther and arrived with more
in a shorter time. Yet their motive
was necessity and ours only desire"
Present Military Strength.
The present strength of the coun-
try's military forces are given as fol-
lows:
Regular Army. 1o.2s5 officers and
5O4,677 men; reserve corps, 1908 Of
1906 officers and 411.952 men: Ma
tional Army. 1884 officers and 51O.963
men: on special and technical duty.
8,195 men: drafted in April, 10000
men; drafted in May. 233.742 men.
In giving figures of potential mil
itary strength not yet called, Mr.. Cald-
well concludes:
I'VE now have 1000, 900 men in the
Army. The men between the ages of
twenty-one and thirty-one years in
1917 have been classified and there
remain in class l approximately q
o0o. 900 men physically fit not called.
The class of 1918, which will be reg
istered this summer, will add another
million. making grand total of s.
100000, without calling classes 2, 3.
4 or 5. containing nearly 100000, and
without calling the boys from eight
cen to twenty y-one-3, 100000 more.
"If the war lasts until 1924 there
will be added 5000, 900 more men. The
potential man power of America for
a seven-year war, therefore, may be
conservatIvely estimated at 100000
fighting men of recognized military
age. This out of a population of 1885,
ooo. 900.
Mr.. Caldwell then made an inter-
esting comparison of the relative
man power of the central powers and
the allies. He included in the former
group Austria Hungary, Bulgaria.
man empire, and in the latter group
Australia, Canada, France, Great
Britain. India. Italy, Japan, New Zea-
land, Portugal. Serbia, South Africa
and the United States.
This comparison showed that the
population OF the central powers in
1914 was 142,250,0O of whom $780,
900 were males between eighteen and
forty-four years. inclusive, and of the
male group 1s.360.000 were estimated
ayailab ble for military service
The population of the Associated
governments" or allied powers, was
623, 100000 on the same date, with
104, ,9s5 900 men between eighteen and
forty-four years. inclusive, and g.
S79,5 estimated available for mill
tary service.
Comparison Of Man Power.
1.-The man power of America will
get stronger. and the man power of
the enemy must get weaker for the
next twenty years." he said, 'if by
any chance the war should last that
long"
In conclusion. he said:
within one year after the first
of a million men in France. with their
necessary arms. equipment and sup
plies. 1t will be the best fed, the
best clothed, the best paid army of
it's size that the world has ever
known.
'Its personnel will have the quick
est perception of any soldiers in the
world, and will have been trained
under modern conditions. surrounded
by the best moral influences. with the
lowest percentage of disease, and will
be nerved by the highest motives
that actuate men,"