Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-20
EIGHTY u. S. DIVISIONS
WILL BE IN FRANCE
BY JUNE, MARCH SAYS
(continued from Page y

less than CONSUMPTION of labor
On the question of volunteer enllSt-
ments, which some committee members
said should be discontinued Tor the navy
and marine corps, as well as the army,
if the new bill is passed, Mr.. Baker SAID
he had withheld an expression of opln-
ion. He pointed out, however, that the
bill would place every man between
eighteen and forty-five under control OF
the war department, and that 1t Would
be possible for him and Secretary Dan
iels to work out in harmony a program
to supply men for the navy for the Tight
ing branch and also the merchant ship
service.
Provision for Women
Representative Caldwell. of New York.
suggested that the army provide for en-
listment of women to do non-combatant
work as is done by the navy land Mr..
Baker said that so far the army uses
for such service men called and not quail
flied for military duty.
Regarding experimenting young ofii-
GERS in noncombatant duty by older men,
Secretary Baker said all young othcers
capable of military duty are being re-
lieved so far as possible.
Secretary Baker was excused after
more than an hours examination and
of staff, who said all of the belligerents
have age limits of fifty or over and
minimum of eighteen or less. Some Ger
man captives, he said, have been found
to be as young as sixteen. The max
mumNage of all belligerents, he SAID is
fifty-three, and the minimum eighteen
The draft laws and regulations OF the
United States and other belligerents
were compared by General March.
TO put eighty divisions Of Americans
in France before June of 1919 General
March emphatically declared:
I'VE will need every single man in
class one between eighteen and forty
five We must not deludc ourselves with
the idea that those in the eighteen-nino-
teen mems calls are going to be de-
ferred any length of time. They will
have to be called early next spring in
order to get their training in time u
get to France"
To prevent gaps" in the reservoir of
men to fill the places in training of
men sent to France, General March
said the eighteen-nineteen class would
not be invaded" until it is necessary.
as Secretary Baker had stated.
Figuring minimum training of four
months in this country and two months
in France to make the American force
year, General March added, from four
to six months before June so is the
minimum deferment period for men to
be in class one.
Should BE Left Free
That the department plans to call the
men in the older classes before the
eighteen-year-old youths are drafted
was reiterated by General March, but he
insisted the department should be left
free to call the youngest class IL it is
found necessary.
With General Crowder the committee
discussed the estimates of men he ex-
poets to get from the enlarged regis
tration of the bill. Some committee
members expressed surprise that only
about 500, 900 fighting men are expected
from registrants between thirty-two and
forty-six. The provost marshal explain
ed that the nations industrial require
ments were considered in his estimates,
General March read an official state
ment showing that on August l the
American army aggregated 3,012, 112 Dir
vided as follows:
American expeditionary force and en-
route overseas, 1901 ,742.
In the United States and insular pos
sessions, 1,4S2,7O6.
Called in August, 227,664.
In addition there are about 5000 ma
rines, the chief of staff said.
For. the present it is planned to send
100000 men monthly to France, General
March stated.
But we hope to increase that in the
spring" he added. 1T would seem that
this law would have to be in effect and
in operation some time next month"
said General March, estimating the time
needed for administration.
Urges Haste
Passage of the bill as promptly as
possible was urged by General Crowder
He said he had already suggested to
Secretary Baker to proceed with regis
tration and allotment of serial numbers
of men between eighteen and thirty-six,
temporarily laying aside the cards of
eighteen-year- boys. In anticipation
of the law General Crowder said the
present orders of Mr.. Baker are to begin
classification first of men of nineteen to
thirty-six.
After the bill is enacted, General
Crowder said, he would ask to have the
president order the new registration in
ten days, to provide for drawing of num-
bers as soon thereafter as possible. The
whole work. General Crowder said, will
be a rush job.
The committee adjourned until tomor-
row, arranging to hear representatives
of orfianized labor against the work or
fight amendment of the senate bill.
Consideration of the new man power
bill extending the ages will begin in the
senate next Thursday. With a quorum
present today the senate set aside the
agreement for vaction recesses until
August "a and cleared the way for TAX
ing up the measure without further de-
lay
Fifty-Seven senatorS-twenty-nin Re-
publicans and twenty-eight Democrats
answered today's roll call. AS soon as
it was found that a quorum was pres
ent Senator Chamberlain asked that the
recess agreement be vacated, and there
was no opposition He then announced
that he would bring up the man power
bill Thursday. Upon the motion of
Senator Nelson, of Minnesota, the rank
ing Republican present, the senate at
once adjourned out of respect to the
late Senator Gallinger.
Senator Gore, Oklahoma, today in
troduced an amendment to the man
power bill intended to defy the draft
ing of men under twenty-one as long
as possible. 1t provides. that no man
under that age shall be drafted for
military service until in the judgment
of the president all older men so far
as consistent with public interest have
been taken. 1t further provides that
the same rule shall apply to the nine
teen and twenty-year-old classes before
oil