Catoctin clarion., 1918-07-25
Planning For A Big Army.
New Bill To Be Submitted TO
Hannr. In Cont n,n hnn
Congress In September.

Congress In September.
Early in September it is said the Sec
retary of War will submit to Congress a
new man-power measure providing for
such extentions of the draft age and such
other notifications of the Selective Ser
vice act as will put the Government in
command of substantially 100000 men.
Details of this new military program
are being worked out by the General
Staff, the War College and the higher
civilian officials of the War Department.
In the first place, it now seems neces-
sary that the War Department be placed
in position to call for as many as five
million men for military service, If such
number should be required to effect the
defeat of Germany. That so large a
number of men cannot be used immedl-
ately, goes without saying, and 1t may
never be necessary to call all of them,
but many of Mr.. Bakers advisers are
convinced that the authority should be
given without delay to summon them to
| arms.
1t is the fixed purpose of the Secretary
however, to so regulate the draft pro-
cesses that as little disturbance as possi-
bic will take place in the industrial sys-
TEN of the country.
In order to make five million or even
four million available for duty in the ar
my therefore, it is absolutely necessary
that the draft ages be extended, and
there is strong reason for believing that
the War Department will renew its orig
inal recommendation that the age limit
be lowered as we'll as raised.
The new plan will probably provide
that the age limit be extended to 40 years
although there is strong military advice
in favor of fixing the older limit at 35 or
36 years on the ground that few men be-
yond that age are physically fit for the
strenuous work in the army. But II
Congress wishes to raise the limit to 4O
or even as, there will be no serious OBJ
lection TO such legislation on the part of
the War Department.
1t is morally certain that the Admins
tration, however, will urgently insist
that the age limit be lowered to 20 years
and perhaps to Is. Not only do the
younger men make better soldiers. both
from the standpoint of physique and dis
cipline, but much smaller percentage
of them are engaged in essential war
work or have dependent members of their
families to support. For these reasons
it may be expected that Secretary Baker
will again call upon Congress to lower
the age limit
If Class Al under the draft is to be
made to provide 100000 men or any
thing like that number, it will be abso-
lutely necessary to enroll not only youths
10 and 20 years old, but every man be-
yond 81 who might qualify for that clas-
sifcation. This has been shown clearly
by experience under the present Selec-
tive Service act.
A total of l0,700,0 900 men registered
under the original law. This seemed at
the time to provide an almost inexhaust-
able reservoir of man power for army
making purposes. But it has not worked
out that way at all. In the first place,
|, 100, 600 of these men were aliens and
were Immediately exempted from SER
vice, although many of them have since
4 Tod b, tbair opts
A total of $4,000 were at once excused
from military duty on the ground that
they were skilled laborers engaged in
vital industries. About 100000 more
were exempted as Federal state, county
and municipal employees.
When the classifcations were com.
pleted it was found that 3,70O, 900 more
of the registrants had dependents which
entitled them to deferred positions in
the draft. In all somewhat more than
5000, 900 of the 100000 registrants
were either exempted outright or given
deferred classification, leaving approx
mately 100000 subject to call But of
that number 80 per cent were found to
be physically disqualified for active mill
tary duty.
At the outside, therefore, no more than
2, 500, 900 have been found available in all
respects for service, or somewhat more
than 10 per cent of the total enrolment.
Including the July calls, 1865, 1854 men
have been called to the colors under the
Seective Service Act. August calls are
now being announced by the Provost
Marshal General and it is easily foreseen
that the entire body of men now in Class
Al will be exhausted before the sum-
mer is over.
Stations Consolidated.