The sun., 1918-08-06
The Soldier Boy OF Eighteen.

A bill calling to the coiors the
eighteen-year-old availables belonging
to the class of 1920 passed the French
Chamber of Deputies on Thursday
last. On Friday this measure of SER
vice extension. practically lowering
by two years the regular draft age
limit, was approved by the French
Senate without the formality of a
roll call. On Saturday n decree was
issued promulgating the new law.
This is not to be regarded as a
measure Of dire emergency, for the
rapid reinforcement of the Allied
armies from our own side of the
Atlantic is relieving 10 a consider
able extent the long and terrible
drain of the last four years upon the
man power of France. 1t is not.
therefore, in desperation that the pa
triotism Of the sister republic is sum
moning to the field her sons of eight
cen. 1t Is rather in recognition of
the ascertained fact that some of the
very best fighting material in every
army comes from the class whose in
clusion in the draft age is proposed
in this country in the bill prepared
under Secretary BAKERS direction
and ut the instance Of the Admins
tration introduced yesterday in the
Senate and the House by the chair
men of the two military committees.
Such opposition as has been mani
tested heretofore in Congress TO low
ering the minimum to eighteen years
has been based on reasons OF politics
or of sentiment. Some legislators
have been inclined to protest on the
oretlcal grounds against a measure
which would take away from their
districts young men not yet citizens.
But this business Of making soldiers
of Americans who have not Yet cast
their first vote is as old as the old
est veteran of the civil war. Boys
fought on the Union side and on the
Confederate, and better fighters the
world never saw. Enlistments from
this class of youngsters have been
welcomed eagerly by the recruiting
officers of our army. with their eyes
always wide open for the right stuff
for military material. As to the boys
themselves. who doubts that the draft
age would be pulled down to sixteen
or even fifteen If they had the settle
ment of the question by referen'
dun vote?
The spirit, the enterprise, the phys
ical adaptablity, the over the tor
quality which is driving back the Ger
man line and is going to win the war
are found in perfection among the
Americans of the class which Score
tary BAKER, with the approval Of the
President and after prolonged ant
most careful consideration of the
subject in It's every aspect, now pro
poses 10 invite TO the highest duty OF
patriotism. His sensible decision II
this respect is in line with wha
England and Italy are learning, witt
what France is doing, with wha
America should do in order to equiv
itself with the most effective machin
cry for bringing about peace with tn
least possible sacrifice of time anC
life. In the coming discussion II
Congress there should be no though
OF compromise or change as to tn,
lower limit of the draft age.
1t should remain at eighteen. Thi
Is what The Sun has believed AM
maintained ever since the question a
between twepty-one or twenty o
nineteen or eighteen has been unde
consideration by the executive an,
legislative departments. And to thos
who may hold for one reason or ar
other that nineteen is more suit
able minimum than eighteen W
would say that eighteen is not da
too young for the beginning of mil
tary training, and that drafting q
eighteen practically means service b
ginning at nineteen.
The reasons presented by Genera
CRowDER for pressing this man powe
measure to enactment with the leas
possible delay are impressive an
seem TO US conclusive.