Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-21
AN ARMY TO BEAT GERMANY

AN ARMY TO BEAT GERMANY
GENERAL MARCH says that we can
" win the war by September of next year
If we have an army of 100000 in France
on June 30 and about 900, 900 in training
at home.
The duty of Congress is to pass the laws
which will make 1t possible to raise such
an army and keep it equipped and the
business of the rest Of us Is to cooperate
in every possible way with the War De-
partment, on which the task of raising
the army rests.
The American army contained 3,012,112
men on August l, according to General
March. This included the forces in Eu-
rope and those on the way to the number
of 1901 TAP men, together with 1432,7O6
in the United States and its insular possess
sions and 277,664 called in the August
draft.
A minimum of 100000 men must be
found between now and June 80. Where
are they to come from? The purpose of
the man-power bill now before Congress
is to answer this important question. 1t
extends the age limits of the draft at both
ends
estimated that there are 1.797,609 effective
soldiers to be found in the group of youths
between the ages Of eighteen and twenty
inclusive and 601 ,236 between the ages Of
thrty.two and fortyfve making a total
OF 2,39S,S45. That is, there are about
100000 available soldiers in the groups
at both ends of the extended draft age
who will be put in Glass / subject to call,
or about twice as many as will be called
under the present estimate of the size of
an army needed to beat the Germans.
Only one-half of the eligibles, therefore,
will be drafted according to the present
outlook.
What every man Of family and every
father of boy within the draft age wants
to know is to what extent the married
men are to be drafted and whether the
eighteeny ear.old boys are to be called.
Secretary Baker has said that he did not
think that the boys between eighteen
and nineteen years old would be needed
General March says that we must get
rid of the idea that the calling of the
youngest class is to be deferred" There
is apparent conflict here between the views
of the Chief of Staff and the Secretary Of
omitted this will reduce the number Of
eligibes by about 675,OO0, making 1t neces-
sary to draw more extensively on those
of greater age. Before Congress passes
the bill there should be agreement between
the views of the Secretary of War and the
Chief of Staff. The Committee on Military
Affairs of the House has decided to put
the eighteen-year boys in a deferred
class But this does not settle the ques-
ton.
The nation is ready to provide as many
men as are needed The desire to know
in advance to what extent the youth are
to- be called on arises from no reluctance
on their part to fight and no unwillingness
of their parents that they should begin
thus early to fulfill the duties of their
citizenship, but merely from desire to
adjust themselves to the demands of the
near future.
There Is less uncertainty about the pur-
poses of the Government regarding mar.
ried men. We are assured that men with
wives and children absolutely dependent
on them will be put in deferred classes
and will not be drafted until the other
classes have been exhausted, which under
would not be called at all. The deferred
classes under the first draft law are not
to be invaded at present and will not be
so long as men with no dependents can
be found
OF this much we are certain. And if we
| succeed with our eXpeditionary army Of
| 1900 900 men, added to the 2750,000 Of
| the French army and a British army of
similar size, in whipping the Germans by
| or before the end of September of next
wear, we may consider ourselves fortu-
| nate. Yet we should not count too surely
on this happy outcome. 1t may be neces-
| sary to continue the war until September,
1920 and we must lie prepared to fight
| on if necessary. But the surest way to
| bring the war to an end is to pour into
France as big an army as possible be-
tween now and the opening of the spring
and summer campaigns next year. AS
General March we'll says, any other policy
would be to play into the hands OF the
enemy.
An overwhelming force within six
months means victory. The same number
| ~ mon put into battle in driblets means
defeat or further postponement of VIC
| tory.