Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-08-26

limits of the original act will have
been entirely exhausted. Unless there
;s to be a very serious interruption
IN the flow of American troops to
France, class /, must be replenlshed
at the earliest possible moment by
available men both below and above
the present age limits of 81 to 81.
There is, literally, no time to be
lost.
"The bill, which has been intro
duced in congress at the request of
the war department would fix the
rcw age limits at between is and
AZ years. That is to say, II would
include, in addition to the men with
in the present limits, those from 80
to 4j, inclusive GA annual classes)
and those from is to 20, inclusive
(three annual classes).
"These limits were suggested to con-
gress by the war department, be-
cause the military man power pro-
gram Of the United States requires
that the now nearly depleted reser-
yoir Of class l men shall be replen-
isled by more than 100000 men
available for military service. On
the basis of actual figures from in
surance companies, census computa-
tion and the experience Of this Of
flee in the previous registration, II
has been estimated that the required
lumber of men for class 1 may be
mad only by including within the
daft age limits men between 80 and
45 and between Is and 20. That
is to say, approximately 100000
men must be added to the list Of reg
istrants in order that, with all ex-
emptions allowed, at least 1000, 600
men will remain in class 1.
I'm other words, here Is the prob
lem presented:
IF the bill as introduced Is pass
ed, 1t will be necessary between the
date of its passage and October 1
10 register and begin to classify by
QUESTIONABLE 100000 men not
heretofore included in the draft age
limits; or approximately one and one
third as many men as were register.
ed on June }, 1917. And when this
has been done draft calls upon the
new class must start to fill tht
places in the training camps of those
men going to France.
Assurances having been giver
that the legislation will receive i'm
mediate consideration upon the as
sembllng Of the house and of tn,
senate, this office, in its preliminar!
instructions sent out to draft eXecu
tives in the various states has pro
teeded on the assumption that tn
new registration might be held earl
in September.
"If, for example, the bill is passe
by August 81, or soon thereafter,
would be necessary for the presl
dents proclamation to fix a registra
tion date as soon as possible, allow
ing ample time to be given for post
ing his proclamation in every regiol
of the country. Thus, registration
day might be as early as Septembe
5, or shortly thereafter. To hav'
the first installment of the men clas
l ready for camp by October, |
! ould be necessary to have the regis
tration not later than September 10
in any event 1t is obvious that w
cannot wait until the act is passed be
fore beginning the preliminary worl
in this vast undertaking.
Entirely aside from the power
which the new law may confer oi
the government, II is essential tina
the public shall accord the fulles
measure of cooperation and the wa
department has implicit confidence
that the response of the men whit
| will be required to register under th'
new law will be as patriotic and a
complete as that which marked tn,
registration on June 5, 1917.
Fundamentally the processes o
the selective draft rest upon th'
principal of heroic sacrifice that ha
made of the American army in thi
war an establishment faithful of th
hest traditions of the American peo
pie. Now, as in the previous regis
tration, the manhood of America Il
Observation-Disclosures
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Observation-Disclosures