The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-19
Move Would Add 100000 Eli
gible Fighting Men.
HOLD BACK CLASS 2 CALLS
u. s. Must Place at Least 5 Mil
lion Men in Field. As1
Baker, Wilson and Crowder Fa'
vOr New Extension Plan.

He announced today that
he will approve any change in the Sc
Iective service act necessary to raise
an army of the required size.
American and allied military lead
ers now are convinced that the Unit
ed States must place an army of at
least 5,00o,000 men in the field If vic
tory is to be won. This will be posi-
BILE with the proposed extension of the
age limits.
Secretary Baker was won over to the
plan at conference with Provost
Marshal General Crowder. The sec
retary's approval removes the last OBJ
stacle in the path of the army general
staff's move to bring the proposal be-
fore. congress at an early date. 1t Is
possible the question will not come
up until late in the fall, but it is be-
lieved favorable action by congress
will, be obtained before the close of
Wilson to Back Baker.
The approval of Secretary Baker is
taken to indicate l. similar attitude by
President Wilson. q The war depart
ment, therefore, is convinced that con-
gress will enact the necessary legisla-
ton without lengthy debate.
General Crowder has favored an ex-
tension of the draft age for several
months. No official action looking to
a revision in the law was taken, how
ever, because Secretary Baker opposed
the proposed extension.
There las been some division Of
opinion as to whether the ages should
be extended for the purposes of bring
ing under government control labor
needed for war industries or whether
the draft system should be developed
solely to produce more fighting men.
General Crowder believes the extern
sion necessary for both purposes.
When General Crowder is called
recommend that the, new limits be
from IS to As. 1t is understood. The
draft machine has been made ready
to take care of the additional task.
The change in draft ages is necessi-
tated by the tremendous drain made
on class I during the past several
months, when calls far exceeding orig
inaf estimates were made. Not more
than 100000 additional fighting men
are expected to be secured by the reg
.istration of the 21-year-old men. the
re-combing of the deferred ciassifica-
items, ana shifting to class I Of reg
,istrantS who have been married since
the selectivA service act was intro
duced. -.
To Drain Present Resources.
Available fighting men under the
present age limits are expected to be
exhausted about January I. General
Crowder is anxious to avoid inroad DIS
on skilled industrial and skilled farm
labor and married men with families
solely dependent upon their earning
power for livelihood. To do this the
age limits must be changed, accord
ing to majority of the local draft
boards. ~
The policy Of the war department is
not to go into class until class / has
been exhausted in all states Availa BILE
white men in class l under the or
tgtnal registration already have been
exhausted in Arizona, and are nearly
exhausted in several other states.
These states have comparatively few
negroes on their lists.
This condition would compel an
early invasion of class and possibly
other deferred classifications unless
the age limit were extended If the
ever increasing shipping facilities
permit of heavier over seas movements
of troops and consequent larger draft
calls. class l may be exhausted before
January 1.
July Calls, 100000.
Including June calls. approximately
1900, 900 draft men have been called
to the colora. The July calls will
bring this number up to nearly 2,Oo0.-
600. General Crowder has told the
senate military affairs committee that
the July calls would aggregate go, 900.
With the 100000 draft under
arms by the end of July and the
i 100000 in the regular army and the
| national guard, the strength of the
American army by August l Will be
| 100000 men.
Another 100000 men can be fur
nished by the draft system without
necessitating an invasion of the de-
ferred classes. Thus an army larger
than 100000 is impossible without
! extending the age limits of the draft
| or invading the deferred classes.
A registration of 10,6S3,249 be-
| tween the ages of 81 and As. both in
Crowder From 1 8 to. 20. both fnclu.
| sive. he would expect to enroll
3.0S7.o63
Ninety-six per cent of the men be-
| tween IS and 20 are not married. - il
is estimated. while TT per cent of the
men between 81 and IS are believed
Obtain 2,5oo,ooo Electives.
| The number of single males between
81 and As. therefore, is expected to be
3,525,472, and between Is and 20 there
should be 2.963.5S1.
| Figuring on 4 basis of the percent.
| age Of acceptances in the first regis
| tration General Crowder would coun
As producing 1.SS9,33S fighting men
The Is to 20 registration should pro
duce 1,167,947 fighting men.
| The total number of fighting mel
expected. therefore. under the pro
posed age limits woulo- be 2,557,285
With the present available total of 4.
000. 600 the extension Of the draft age
to Is and AS would allow for an en-
largement of the army to more thar
100000 without disturbing the in
dustrial. agricultural or domestic con
ditions of the country.
THE only explanation necessary t,
extend the draft ages" said Senate
| Chamberlain, chairman of the senat
military affairs committee, lis simpl,
to amend the section OF the draft &C
defining that men between 81 and 3
shall be drawn.
/ An Extension Is Fair.
1 II, don't think 1t is fair that all tn
young married men should be takel
simply because they are between 2
land 81. There are hundreds Of then
over 80 who are availa bic and are Fl
specimens. An amendment to say 3