The Colorado statesman., 1918-08-17
DEPENDS ON WHETHER ENOUGH
RECRUITS CAN BE OBTAINED
BY REcLASSIFIcATlo
LOCAL BOARDS TOLD TO ACT
Many Old Line Republicans Want
Roosevelt for Presidential Nominee
In 192o-Senator Ashurst's Comment
on Street Laborers and Wages.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

most important part of the man power
that must win the war. Under his di-
rection more than 100000 men have
been drafted. This is exclusive of
those who enlisted in the regular army
and the National Guard. These 2,OOO,-
600 men make up the vast force that
is doing such good work for America
and will continue to do 1t until the end.
Glass 1 of the draft is about exhaust
ed. 1t is true that under the law re-
Gently passed young men reaching the
age of twenty-one are subject to the
draft and there are about 100000 Of
these, most of them class l men. But
the draft has II rival among these
younger men, in the navy. A large
number of them prefer the more fasci-
mating sea service and enlist in the
navy or In the marine corps because
they prefer the romance of the ocean
tc the solid, substantial work of the
army. This Is very good thing for
the navy, for it gets all the men 1t
wants. and of course the very best.
Just now General Crowder and his
assistants are making every effort to
induce the local boards to re-examine
and If possible re-classify men who are
In the deferred classes. 1t Is not the
policy of the secretary of war to reach
Into the second class IL he can avoid
1t, but in order to obtain sufficient man
power of the right kind 1t may be nee
essary to go into the deferred classes,
unless class 1 be largely increased by
rIae sell lf.1af Tor, 49, l, a.-Ie
1t is possible that the age limit will
be changed II the supply of men can
not be kept up in any other way. There
Is very strong desire on the part of
many of those in charge of the draft
to have the age limit reduced to 20. In
fact many army officers think that the
very best results In the way of soldiers
would be obtained by taking young
men of nineteen and twenty instead
Of waiting until twenty-one, as at pres
ent. If an army of four or five million
men is raised 1t will be necessary to
reduce the limit below twenty-one
years and raise it above thirty-one.
Many Republicans were rather hope
full that Colonel Roosevelt would make
the race for governor Of New York,
having no doubt that he would be elect
ed and that 1t would be a stepping
stone to the Republican presidential
nomination in 1920. 1t is rather amaz-
ing to observe how many old line Re
publicans. men who fought Roosevelt
so bitterly in 1912, are anxious that
he should be candidate In 1920. Un-
less conditions change, according to
what Republicans around Washington
say, Roosevelt's name is sure to go be-
fore the convention two years hence,
and what is more, he Is likely to be
the nominee II the Democrats hold
their convention first and renominate
Woodrow Wilson.
Senator Ashurst of Arizona, walking
to the capitol one day, became inter-
ested in gang of street laborers who
were taking their time. He was espe-
cially interested in several colored men
who We're moving with slow rhythm
that indicated how little they were in
terested in their jobs.
"How much are these men getting?"
asked Ashurst.
each gets $50 per day for eight
hours" was the answer.
"Gee whiz !" exclaimed the Arizona
senator. 81 used to work ten hours
a day for $110 day, and 1 worked
with more speed than those fellows are
showing"
Senator Fletcher of Florida just be-
fore the recess was trying to get
through bill to which Senator Pen
rose of Pennsylvania made some OBJ
lection, and after some discussion the
Pennsylvania Senator remarked:
with great reluctance 1 withdraw my
objection. 1 have voted for so many
questionable measures in the last six
months, perhaps one more will not
weigh upon my conscience nor require
a greater reckoning on the day of judg-
ment."
That which happened in France
in the third week of. July-by
way of response to the big German
offensive that was to end In Paris
was all the more gratifying because it
was something that every patriotic
American deep down in his heart really
expected would happen when soldiers
of the United States got into action
The pride In American troops, the con-
fidence that the American soldier was
at least the equal of any other soldier
on earth, and the belief that American
troops would stand up and hold any
Germany army, has been deep-set
conviction In the minds of the Ameri-
can people from the time we entered
the war.
One reason for the great impatience
manifested by Americans, or those who
spoke for them, over apparent delays
In getting American troops to the front
was because the people in this country