New-York tribune., 1918-06-27
Secretary, Opposing Change
in Draft Age, Reveals
Greater Army Plans
Class l To Be
Exhausted Soon
Will Supply All Man Power
Shipping Can Handle,
Senators Are Told
by The Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, June 26.-Sccretary
Baker disclosed to the Senate Military
Committee to-day that within three
months an enlarged army project now
being worked out will be presented to
Congress to represent the maximum
fighting effort of the country.
Already the calculations upon which
the pending army bill was framed have
been exceeded, and the War Depart
ment is revising its plans on an en-
larged basis that means additional bill
lions in money and additional millions
of fighting men.
The full scope of the new measure
is not yet apparent, even to officials
who are preparing it.
Mr.. Baker disclosed the new plans
in explaining his reasons for opposing
any change now in the draft age
limits. Later during general debate
in the Senate chamber, dgures were
disclosed showing the great strides
being made toward the bringing of
American fighting power to the front
in France.
Force of 100000 Soon
General March, Chief Of Staff, already
has announced that the armv is five
months ahead of schedule in troop
movements, 100000 men having been
shipped abroad. During The debate
to-day, however, it was disclosed that
if the highest hopes are realized, H.
100000 men will have reached France
some time in August, and that there
will be a total force under arms Of
approximately 3,5OO,OOO.
A statement read into the Senate
Record by Senator Chamberlain, chair
man of the Military Committee, pre-
dicted that Class 1 probably would
be exhausted during October, and
would be reduced to 641,l26 men by
calls to be made before August l.
Secretary Baker and General March
were positive that the reservoir Of
lighting man power would meet all calls
upon it under the best possible condi-
tions of mobilization and transporta.
ton, until Congress has an opportunity
TO take up age extensions later, with
the data now being compiled by the
War Department at hand.
The question of available shipping to
haul the men to France is the vital fac
tor. At present much British and
French tonnage is employed on the
work, as unusually good crops in Eng
land have already made ships available
weeks longer than was expected
High Record Months
Under previous estimates, May was
expected to be the month of high rec
ord in troop shipments, the Allied YES
sels being withdrawn then to carry
foodstuffs and munitions needed in
France and England. 1t is now indi-
Gated that they will not be withdrawn
before July.
This probably explains the proposed
schedule of mobilization read into the
Senate record by Senator Chamberlain.
showing a declining rate after August,
ment from the cantonments would d
have been made good
Calls on Class One
The table shows total strength in
Class l of 1852, ,082, deductions of 1884,
634 for delinquents. 36,770 for the
Emergency Fleet list, 215,539 for limit
ed service classification and 50,26S for
remediable detectives, leaving l.724.87
fighting men of those originally placed
in Class 1. To that number it is esti-
mated 100000 will be added by the re-
classification process now going on, and
100000 from the class of 1918, to be
drawn tomorrow.
With the July call deducted. the
table fixed 1889 as the number of
availables left in the fighting ranks of
Glass l. and the estimated calls for the
rest of the year are placed at a total
of 875,0 900, which would leave 1000 men
still in the class on January !. 1919.
The calls for 1918 are given as: August.
100000; September, 100000; October,
100000; November, 100000 and De-
cember, 125.000.
1t was pointed out during the Sen
ate debate that these figures, prepared
by General Crowder, seemed to show
q sufficient number of men to fill any
calls now planned, and that apparently
an estimate of 10000 additional men
TO be obtained by the draft treaties
with France and Great Britain was not
included, nor the 10000 cases on ap-
peal, of which it was said 95 per cent
would go into Class /. 1t was noted
also that 2l5,000 men available for
limited military service had been de-
Quoted from the total of Glass l, al
though it is understood men Of this