Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-19
MARRIED MEN MUST
FIGHT, SAYS BAKER
Those Who Do Not Support Their
Families Must Don Khaki,
Secretary Rules.
Bv Associated Press TO Every Evening

by Associated Press TO Every Evening
Washington, Aug. 10 No general
exemption of married men simply because
Of their married status rs contemplated
by the War Department m preparing
for the proposed extension Of draft ages,
Secretary Baker declared today IN
statement before the House military com
mittec on the new administration man
power bill
MIR. Baker said his previous remarks
on this subject had been rnisconstrucd, ana
that married men who do not support
their families and who are not engaged
in useful occupations will continue to be
called
There are many married men IN the
country who ought 10 90 and fight as
freely as single men" he added
Regarding exemption of married men,
Secretary Baker was closely examined by
committee members. Representative IL
son Of Connecticut suggested that many
mon arc being married to evade the new
| draft and that the bill should provide
that those married after the new bill
was introduced should not be exempt.
| Mr. Baker said such a rigid provision OF
| the law was unnecessary; that the dc
partmont could disregard all marriages
| made to evadc the new law.
As to how long before men called under
! the new law will GO across, Mr. Baker
! said not more than SIX months training
would be gwen at home.
In extending the draft ages Secretary
Baker said, suspension Of academic educa-
tion * an "unsolved problem of the
situation. and thnt il would be most
unfortunate To have all collegiate educa-
| ton stopped lie believed there stIli
would be many youths left At school,
but was against exemption of college
students rs a class as thoroughly un-
dcnocratic Scientifically trained ex-
pcrts. however arc needed and education
az siIch men must be continued - an
| extent Men injured IN thc var will bo
sent to colleges after they recover, the
secretary explained and Thus 70 some cx-
tent fill lp academic institutions nc
garding present exemption of divinity
students. he SAID, their draft for army
chapIarns is being urged
The department plans, Mr. Baker
sad. are to call All the younger men by
the middle of noxt year b'tt sub
-tanfially after the school year IS through
General Crowder INTERCEPTED that h'
ncw program IS expected t0 ralsf Z,5'F'.-
I 000 men hv June 80, 1910, and that i !.
proposed a. call 1000 900 men by thai
tune
The var secretary. with General March
and Provost Marshal General (rowder
appcarcd before the House committee
nj opcn hearings IT, rcitcrate theIr explana
ton gwen tie senate that immediate
enactment of the man power bill i
imperative in order to carry out th'
enlarged war program
There are two ways Of prosecuting
Tins var Mr. Baker SAID tDne way il
to make every possible effort 70 do i
now and the other is 70 proceed somewhat
more Icisurey and do II later ! h'
obvious advantage from every stand
point, social, military, industrial anf
economic, Is 10 put forth every effort i
tins country and win the war As soon a
possible "
Leaving an explanation u the man
power situation 10 General { rOwder, tht
secretary announced that because o
objections 10 calling boys 81 . ne ha'
planned TO defer their call As long a
possible and would not object 10 placin:
a provision in the bill making separate
class of men between Is and ~ years anc
for deterring calling them a far as prac
ticablc until after others in class ono hat
been exhausted
There Is a sentiment m this com
mittee, said Mr. Baker, 4 don know
how large against calling men ~ young a
Is unless II Is absolutely necessary
think the sentiment Of the country Is 4
get all the men necessary But from n
!, beginning have planned a a matter o
regulation, 10 have men from Il 10 i
put III "a separate class, with We" =
tlcferring their call until It l. necessary.
He added that this preference might We
be left to executive regulations, bat h
would have no objection to having
sneriti, provision written INTO the bii
L,phfy American divisions oi 1900
men each General March told the Hous
military committee today Should he ADJ
20 trng the war TO IA successful con
,.IusIon n 1919. That is the number tn
War Department has to have n Franc
bv next June.