The Washington herald., 1918-08-09
CLERKS GOING
TO WAR FROM
DEPARTMENTS
Work or Fight" Rule to
Strip Capital Of Men
Employees.
THE NIGHT LISTS.

The application Of the work-or-hght
rule in connection with the new draft
ages submitted to Congress Is ex-
pected to strip Washington Of. Its
great army of men clerks between the
ages of IS and IS. Only older men,
cripples and women will be left at
the desks of all departments and
branches of the government.
Man power to be released under this
rule. which will apply to all industry
as we'll as to government depart
ments. Is expected to go into the es-
sential industries and thereby release
for actual military service IN the line
the men Of the first draft age. q to
81, who have been given deferred class
ification by virtue OF being employed
in essential work.
The one and whole object of all
laws and regulations relating to the
draft from this time on will be to get
men with guns in France. or ready
to sail for the fighting front. The men
for the army of 100000 abroad and
10000 at home as reserves will be
taken. so 'far as possible, from men
of the first draft, and 1t Is expected
that thousands will be dismissed from
essential occupations to join the
colors, and their places taken by older
men.
Young Omeers to Go.
All young officers, too, are t.cketed
through to France, and will begil
their journeys within the next sixty
days. 1t is expected that there will
be a clean sweep in every department
OF the government and every abe
bodied young officer sent on active
duty to France, the desk jobs that
they have occupied being filled by
older officers, by older or disabled
civilians and by women.
Many branches of the service, with
largely noncombatant duties, have
had a rule in effect for months chat
no man Of the first draft age would be
commissioned in such service, and this
rule is not only being rigidly enforced,
but candidates for commissions also
have to enlist for three months and
go into a training camp for that
period before they can hope to receive
commissions. This conforms with the
general trend 10 have all promotions
made from the ranks up, but the men
who will receive these commissions
are too old, as a rule, for regular en-
listment, and therefore are permitted
to enlist for three mon.hs to go to
training camp.
Labor Shortage.
The great crisis of the war that the
United States is faciug today is a
&c ssible labor shortage. In frequent
conferences that have b.en held in
Washington recently conce .niny ma
ar.fa L. r.. A.,
rea! discussion has always revolyed
around the possibility Of a serious
labor shortage for all classes of indus
try, and especially for the shipyards
the railroads and the inunition plants
So far the United States, as one ofii-
cial described II yesterday. has push.
ed her war work ON with ''bl,nd
force" This force has accomplished
miracles, but the time hes come when
the demand fot men fo- duly at the
front-to win the victoiy by military
force-has a-riy ed. AMI the heads OF
the great government works and pri.
vately controlled war industries are
ready to weed cut those eligible for
military duty from among their en-
ployes.
Older Men FIJI Places.
With a labor shortage already ex.
listing. the places of these men called
for fighting duty will have to be filled
by older men. and those men will
have to be drawn into. essential in
dustry from the desks and counters
The government Is not going to play
the part Of a Stacker, and the desb
work. essential as II is, will he dome
by men physically unit for other worl,
and by women.
The forehanded men among the bu-
reau chiefs in Washington are already
canyassing the hospitals where the
manned and disabled fghting mer
who viii not be able to return tc
military duty are now being made
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.