The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-08-05
BAKER PUTS DRAFT
AGES At IS TO !45
Bill Providing for Change
! Will Give Wide Latitude
to the President
SOLUTION IN PART
OF LABOR PROBLEM
General Crowder Believes That the Pro-
posed Measure Would Be Effective
Medium to Help Secure Universal
Military Training.

Military Training.
WASHINGTON, August 5.-TheI
administration has recommended that
the selective draft ages be changed to
include all men from Is to As years of
age, inclusive.
A bill carrying this change will be IN
trodueed in both houses of congress to-
day by Senator Chamberlain and Rep
'resentative Kent of the two military
committees This means that if the adj
,ministration g recommendation is ear
ried out many millions of men win be-
come available for the army.
The oman power" bill, as it is
termed, is short and concise, and Is I'M
derstood to leave to the President wide
latitude in its administration. Under
it he would be allowed to call out men
by years. AS in the present selective
draft law, he could use these men either
in the field or in labor, or in military
training at home.
In fact ardent supporters of univer-
sal military training, such as Senator
Chamberlain, herald the new measure
with delight. They say it would put
into immediate effect their cherished
ideals. The age limits of the bill were
announced following a conference Sat
urday between Secretary Baker and
Senator Chamberlain. 1t is well known
that the bill as prepared by the war
department has the approval of Presi-
dent Wilson.
Senator Chamberlain said later in the
day that he had no available figures
to show how many additional men
would be requisite under the new ages
but added that he believed they would
allow an army of 100000 to 4,0o0,-
| 600 men abroad, with an equal number
constantly training in this country.
The senate military affairs commit
tee has been called to meet tomorrow,
and will begin work at once upon the
bill. 1t is not considered that more
| than four or five days consideration
will be necessary before the bill is re
| ported to the senate floor. In the house
there was some talk of holding hear
ings, but it is not believed this will be-
| necessary as General Enoch H. Crow.
der, the provost marshall, is vel
equipped with all needfu1 figures per
| tanning to the number of men available
under the new plan.
1t was said that, despite oppo
sition, and even if the age limits wer,
| altered from those now in the bill. i
| would not take more than ten DAYS o.
two weeks for the bill to be pu
through congress. There was ever
talk that congress would be asked t.
| rescind its agreements not to transact
| any except routine business before Aug
&c, and would be requested by the Pres
| ident to start work on the man-powe
bill at the earliest possible moment.
The general opinion among the mem
bers of the military affairs commit
tees appeared TO be that lowering tn,
/ age limits would be the most effeetiv,
way to adding man power to the fight
ing forces. The younger and stronge
men are considered Gar better baftl
material than the men in their thirties
and it was said that these latter nigh
be registered and many perhaps use'
in industry, it would not be probabl
| lide tHey WOuiU De sent TO the nr1n,
line
| Under the President 8 power to cal
out men by years, if 100000 addition
al men were needed it would not b
necessary for him to call out all me-
between Is and 81 He could call on
only those between 90 to 81, and let tn
younger men still remain in this coun
try for military training.
Senators and representatives yer
generally regarded the bin as solu
ton of the labor difficulties that hay
handicapped preparations for winnin,
the war. Under the bill, the Presiden
could, through the selective draft, pre-
vent. the immense turnover of labo
that has delayed war work. He coul
also enforce General Crowder' IS sswor1
or fight dietum.
General Crowder, like Senator Cham
berlain, has been a consistent advocat
of universal military training, and it
said that the new bill appeals to him a
being an excellent medium for tina
end. No details of the training system
have yet been announced but it wa
said at the war department that unde
such plan the men would be traine,
at the environments, which might hav
to be enlarged, and to which other