The Washington herald., 1918-05-24
War Secretary Given Sup
port of Committee for
Raising Men.
RESTRICT DRAFT ACE
Within Ages Baker May Call
Any Number in Any
Year.


within the ages prescribed by the
selectiye service act was granted
Secretary of War Baker yester-
day afternoon by the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee. The
committee adopted an amend
ment to the military bill allow
ing the president to take any
number of meE in any fiscal year
under the present draft law, OBJ
serving the order of classification.
The complete bill was reported
out, carrying $S,s6o,I29,3I9.I4 in
cash, S2,4644I6,45I in authorize
tions and a sum estimated at
$1,000, 600, 900 for Signal Corps
and aircraft, a total of $I2,o33,-
545,82I.I4.
Won Easy Victory.
Secretary Baker won a notably easy
victory in gaining authority to draft
an unlimited number OF men. He was
before the committee only 10 minutes
urging 1t. When he came out OF the
committee. he said:
This Is a notice to the world that
he complete. nan-power OF America
is moFtgaged to the successful prose-
cution of the war. 1t is a signal that
Congress and the people stand firmly
for President Wilson's prosecution of
the war, embodying as it does. the
use of as many men as are essential
to victory
Limit the Question.
At the War Department, after his
return from the Capitol, Secretary
Baker made the following statement:
Il have been down to the House
Appropriations Committee on the
question OF the appropriation bill for
1888. The only question remaining
under consideration in the House is
the question of the size Of the army,
the question of whether to put a
limit on 1t, and If so, what limit.
i urged the committee to put on no
limit, but to authorize the President.
in the terms granted him by the act
of May IS. 1917, to use such number
as he found it possible to organize,
train and equip, so as to bring the
war to a successful conclusion.
The committee seemed to be very
generous in their consideration of
the suggestion, and it rather looked
as though that was the way it wished
the thing should be done.
They asked at the House COM
mittee meeting whether 1 had pre-
pared any change in the draft age,
and i said had not.
The subject OF using men in in
dustrial pursuits was not mentioned"
Report Unanimous.
The committee report was unani-
nous. Chairman Dent. who previ-
ously had said he would support no
indefinite items or powers" chang
ed his attitude and will lead the
fight for the bill on the floor.
statement from the committee
said that in considering estimates
Of the War Department for the bill,
no item concerned with the war
had been reduced.
Power Not Discretionary.
Secretary Baker made it plain in
explaining his unlimited man.
power amendment" that it gave him
no discretionary power to violate
the rights of any man either within
or without draft age. He cannot in
duct any man into service who is
not within the age limits, nor can
he summon any man to the colors
in advance of the time which the
draft-lottery number gives him.
He said it merely did away with
the usual practice in an appropria-
tion bill of declaring the size of the
army which the measure was meant
to provide for.
1T Is a matter of psychological
effect" he declared, mot to place
any limit on the number Of men we
are empowered to call. There is no
limit in President Wilson's plans.
He has repeatedly said so in public
addresses. So this bill simply de-
clares that Congress is ready to go
the limit-any limit-in raising
lighting men,"
Would Cover Three Millions.
The present bill is understood among
eommittee members to carry suffi-
eient money for 5000 600 men. The
Secretary and members came to an
Informal agreement that il he called
tnore men than this, he would ask
for additional appropriations. Secre-
fary Baker, who had drawn the
Amendment before he visited the COM
Iiittee, gave out the following text: =
Provided that the authority con-
terred on the President by the act
Improved May IS. 1917, entitled AN
bet to Authorize the President to in
irease temporarily the military es-
Enlistment OF the United States" is
hereby extended so as to authorize
i'm during each fiscal year to raise
II draft as provided in the said act
nd acts amendatory thereto the
4aximum number Of men which may
organized. equipped, trained and
ped during such year for the pro-
tcution Of the present war until the
me shall have been brought to a
ccessful concIcsion.''
rhis text the gommittee accepted
ho1t change.