The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-08-22
READY FOR NEW DRAFT.
About 13,OOO,OOO Men Expected to
Register.

Washington, Aug. Provost
, Marshal General Crowder announc-
ed yesterday that plans already have
been made for registering the 49,
100000 additional men whom he es
Inmates will be brought under the
enacts the pending bill extending
I the age limits to include men be-
tween eighteen and forty-tive years.
100000 qualified for full military
service are expected to be obtained.
So urgent is the need for addition
al man power, General Crowder said,
that the draft machinery is being
put into shape for the great task
tion. by congress. Men Of the new
draft will be needed by Oct. 1, and
in order to get them registration
will have to be held not later than
Sept. Is, and if possible Sept.
will be fixed as the day.
When the 100000 men are en-
rolled nearly 25,000,000 will have
registered since the United States en-
tered the war; There were some TO-
t tGd day, June 5. 1917, another
hundred thousand more are expected
to be enrolled Aug. "a.
preliminary steps have been
taken by the provost marshal-gener-
az said General Crowder's state
ment, TO provide for the registra-
ed by the act which congress is ex-
pected shortly to pass extending the
age limits OF the selective draft.
Boards are at Work.
State headquarters, local boards
and other officials in the various
states have been advised to hold
themselves in readiness to proceed
promptly with their work as soon as
congress has acted and the president
| for registration.
Until the legislation is actually
passed, it cannot be stated with ex-
actness, of course, what the new age
limits will be. But because of the
urgency of the situation, it is essen
tial that as much OF the preparatory
work as possible be done at. this
time in order that the administra-
ton may quickly avail itself OF the
new law. To that end now, as in
the past, the utmost reliance is plac-
ed on the American people to sup
ply the necessary cooperation and
| teamwork.
THE Situation is urgent because
by Oct. /, class ! under the age
limits Of the original act, will have
been entirely exhausted Unless
there is to be very serious inter-
ruption in the flow OF American
troops to the camps and thence
across the seas to France, class
must be replenished at the earliest
both below and above the present
age limits of tWenty-one to thirty
one. 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
new age limits at between eighteen
say, it would include in addition to
the men within the present limits,
those between thirty-two and forty
(, five (fourteen annual classes), and
those between eighteen and twenty
inclusive Cthree annual classes).
Explains New Ages.
''These limits were suggested tC
congress by the war department, be-
cause the military man power of the
United States requires that the now
nearly depleted reservoir of class l
men shall be replenished by more
than 1000, 900 men available for full
military service. On the basis OF
actual figures, from insurance com;
p;anies, census computa lions, a a1d
|
previous registration, it has been
estimated that the required number
of men for class l may be had only
by including within the draft age
limits men between thirty-two and
forty-fve, and between eighteen anC
twenty That is to say, approximate.
ly 100000 men must be added tc
with all exemptions allowed, al
least 100000 men will remain il
class I.
'sIn other words, here is the prob.
lem presented: If the bill as in,
troduced is passed, it will be nee.
essary between the date OF it's pass
age and Oct /, to register reg ran and be
900, 900 men not heretofore includ
ed in the draft age limits; or approx,
imately one and one-third as many
men as were registered on June 5
1917. And when this has beer
done, draft calls upon the new. class
l must start to fill the places in the
training camps of those men going
to France
Assurance having been given
that the legislation will receive i'm
mediate consideration upon the as
! sembling of the house and of the
senate, this office, in its preliminary
instructions sent to draft executives
IN the various states, mas proceeded
on the assumption that the new reg.
September. If, for example, the bill
! is passed by Aug. 81, or soon there
after, it would be necessary for the
presidents proclamation to fix a reg
istration date as soon as possible,
allowing ample time to be given for
posting his proclamation in every
region of the country. Thus, regis
tration day might be as early as
Sept 5, or shortly thereafter. To
have the first installment Of the new
class 1 ready for camp by October it
would be necessary to have the reg
any event, it is obvious that we can
not, wait until the act is passed be-
fore beginning the preliminary
work in this vast undertaking.
Public CO.OperatiOn Asked.
ENTIRELY aside from the powers
Low