New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-11

tatOn ana mucn packing ana IlllnS on
the part of the War Department. The
aepartment's hesitations, said The Trib-
une further
shave been political rather than military.
The readiness of the American people to
on on a genuine basis has been mis-
trusted This was great mistake The
nopular success of the first CONSUMPTION
law furnished ample evidence to the con-
trary All classes and ages are willing to
serve More than that, they demand a
chance to serve"
1.-THE Detroit Journal" also had some
thing to say about this "backing and
filing" 1t wrote thus:
For reasons he has kept to himself,
Secretary Baker has see-sawed on the ques-
ton of extending the draft age. One day
he was reported to be on the point of
recommending an immediate revision of the
draft laws But shortly after he asked
Congress not to take up the subject, and
his request prevailed. We confess
that we cannot see why there should have
been any vacillation, any delays, any mys-
ferrous backing and filling over this sub
ject. The fact is plain enough that we will
have to put larger bodies of troops into
the field
"The indianapolis News felt that it
was greatly to be regretted the Secre-
tary of War did not have his plan ready
weeks, if not months, ago" 1t was
pointed out by THE Utica Herald-Dis-
patch" why Secretary Baker had at last
to abandon his attitude of "watchful
waiting:
"a month ago Congress was in the mood
to raise this limit; but Secretary Baker
opposed any extension, saying that the
rate of troop shipments to France probably
would decline after August l and that the
supply of conscripts now available would
last until after January l next. Now it
seems that many states have already ex-
hausted their Glass 1 lists and that there
vii be no men left in them anywhere after
October L.
The pressing need for immediate &C
ton was brought out in the information
given to Congress by the governments
representatives in introducing the bill
on Monday. A Washington dispatch of
that date contained this sentence:
"unless immediate steps are taken to pro-
Fluc duultlOIdl men, NeNerdl (rOWQer SalQ,
the weekly registration of men as they
attain twenty-one years of age will be
necessary to fill the draft quotas after Sep
TENDER /, when only 100000 of the 1913
regstrants will! be available"
AS to the effects of the new legisla-
ton in recruiting our fighting forces it
appears from General Crowders esti-
mates that there are 10,028,973 men in
the country between 81 and 45 years
Of age, from which number he expects
to obtain 601,236 met electives" as
soon as they can be called into service;
also that there are 3,171 ,671 young men
between Is and 81, and the met eff
fectlves' from this class will reach
l''97,6O9 men. Thus it appears that the
new registration would yield nearly
z'4oO,OOO men for immediate training,
out of total Of 100000 registrants.
flner combing would, of course, pro-
ouce some more millions of recruits later
on, If they should be needed.
The spirit with which the press has
received the general proposal to widen
"Ae i!iiiitS ledVcS no QOuDt DIS TO
'he country's readiness. Nowhere is
lhere voice of dissent; everywhere
mere is the wholehearted recognition of
'ne necessity Of the extension and the
"ililngness to shoulder the additional
burdens involved. The general tenor of
comment is that we are in the war to
"'h' and we must do everything to fight
II our to as speedy an end as possible
me proposal to extend the draft, says
Inc New York Evening POST
~ an application of Mr. Wilson's force to
,'e u,'ermost' at an extraordinary psyche
l"gicai moment. II serves notice on the
ue'han government and the German people
.''e'' although the presence Of 300 900 Amer
.esns IN the front line helped greatly to
"" 'he tide Of war, that although the
presence Of an army Of 5000 900 such as we
Ign MAINTAIN without change in the draft
row would insure the ultimate defeat of
germany, we stand ready for every effort
anu every sacrifice necessary to make that
sbie. Tbo norntr, s'.o.ous -, 40 poo
'eii' blank check on its manhood; it cx-
go MIN 70 use the credit with courage,
aiso with wisdom and discretion"
Inc recommendation Of Secretary
DdKer, writes 'rhe New York Sun"
are broad enough to assure America a
V's army, and this country is not in the
.'''a 70 put limit on the size of our
ao'ces. We need an army of certain
@.Ne--sfle size that is big enough to whip
Germany"
ms IS from "The New Haven Regis
ter: 70"
H'ef since The joyful and willing re-
SrSnse OF the country TO the call of the
.a1 ofait there has never been any dues
-. ,n :, IN The minds Of any but the politicians
'he readiness Of the country to be placed
~. military basis. The proposed extern
u,, % the draft ages now advocated by the
s As department shows that at last it has
s ams 70 @ense that feeling. But the change