Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-02
ARMY DRAFT BILL
WILL Be TAKENUP
BYU. S. CONGRESS
Two Military Committees
Are Recalled to Expedite
New Measure.
SECRETARY OF WAR BAKER
Is SILENT ON AGE LIMITS
Admits, However, Between Nine
teen and Forty Has
Been Suggested.
DENT FAvoRs GOING UPWARD
Others Contend Quick Recuperative
Powers Of Youth Are VitalIy Nec-
cssary TO Military Machine.

BY Associated l'ress
WASHINGTON. August l.-War De-
partment concentrations for cnlarg-
ing the army and for the extension of
draft age limitations in order to pro-
"!de new reservoirs OF man power TO
back up the forces already at the front.
VII! be laid before Congress next week
Members Of the two Military Commit
tees have been recalled TO Washing
ton by the cha:rmeu in order 10 ex-
ped!te the bill
ence with Chairman Dent, OF the House
committee. that his incrcased-army pro-
lect virtually ready, Secretary
Baker would not say what age limits
had been settled upon nor Indicate in
any way the size OF the army which he
IS planning,
i do not want To say what the .gcs
VII! be. he said. because the concur
rent action OF the two houses Is neccs-
sary TO secure assent TO them. had
conference with Mr.. Den, this morn
Ing, and went over with him the fu!l
plan. involving the suggested ages !
10 have Il conference with Senator
Chamberlain soon he gets back.
ANY suggestion to extend the draft
ages is to produce IN class an lde-
luate number of men for the enlarged
military program. II the ages are re-
v,sed. they viii have to be either be-
low twentyone or above thirty-one.
or both. ] think II Will be both"
Chairman Dent was even more re;!-
cent but he said he was willing TO go
IN,
limits OF the draft TO win the war
My personal preference is to 60 ~
first" he added.
The only specific Information regard
ing the new age limits to bc drawn
from NJ. Baker was a statctncu, that
the limits OF nineteen to forty had been
among the suggestions canvassed. but
rejected In many quarters il is be-
lived extension 10 the ages OF nineteen
and ih!rty-s!X viii be recommended
There are several features OF the
draf, age discussion that stand out
clearly. In presenting the original Sc
lective service bill. Secretary Baker
and his advisers fixed nineteen as the
proper minimum. and Mr.. Baker has
said repeatedly since then that he has
no reason TO change his opinion in that
regard. Congress ruled against taking
men below the voting age OF twenty
one, however, and sought to make up
the deficit by increasing the War De-
partment's suggested maximum from
;wenty-s:X TO thirty-one. where it now
stands.
The reluctance Of many members OF
Congress to go lower than the twenty
one limit is still apparent. although
there IS evidence of strong sentiment
toward carrying the maximum up as
hch s forty-hve. There is no doubt.
however that War Department officials
would prefer TO draw on the classes
Of nineteen and twentY-ycar youths
10 fiji the ranks. and see no decided
military advantage to be gained from
any considerable extension upward
SEEKS TO PREVENT ANY
ECONOMIC DISTURBANCE
Secretary Baker has heretofore an
nounced that his policy in recommend
ing any change in draft ages would be
TO seek a sufficient number of men
10 meet the army's needs in such ages
as would least disturb the economic
situation at home. The bulk of the
new forces, in his. view. should he
drawn from the youngest class of men
physically able to stand the strain of
modern warfare.
From the purely army standpoint.
this has been Il boys war fro:,, the
start. The quick rccuperative powers
of vo"th have been vital:y necessary
10 the military machine under the con-
dtion.S OF modern warfare. Older men
aTc slower to recover and are there
fore Of more limited use to the army
ON the other hand however. there
are a great number of men who could
be culled out OF higher ages. even
M to fortyfive A far greater pro-
and forty-fve have independent in
comes than is true with the men be-
low thirty-onr, reducing the depend
eats factor for exemption to that cx-
tent. IS to the size Of the army for
which this increased class | is neces-
sary, official has dropped a hint,
with the execution of General March.
who. in announcing the creation of n
Iuiy schedule Of six new divisions. fol-
lowed by an August schedule for tho
same number. has indicated the en-
barkation upon such a monthly pro-
gram. At this rate. approximately
o5c,00a mer a month would be sent
overseas, their places in the home
cantonments to be taken By 25O.000
new men. Under such a schedule. with
provision now existing for the hous-
ing and training OF 1.:50.000 men In
Of training on this side, both in di-
visional and replacement camps. before
men wern sent over to complete their