Norwich bulletin., 1918-08-10

by Secretary Baker after he had ap- peared before the senate military committee to urge prompt enactment of the new selective service act ex- tending the age limits to include all men between the ages of IS and 45.
 Defines Classification.
 The war secretary made it plain that he is not satisfied with the present system under which the registrant must claim deferred classification, as many men with dependents hesitate for patriotic reasons to make such a claim. In this connection, Mir. Baker said he was inclined to the opinion that the marriage relation will in it. self constitute deferred classification.
 What MT. Baker has in mind is to lay down set of questions which the regisuant would answer and then have rules which would take care of the Classification. He is understood to regard this as the fair and equitable system.
 Baker Before Committee.
 The discussion on the draft ages before the senate committee, MT. Baker said, followed much the lines taken by General March, chief of staff, and Provost Marshal General Crowder. The committee. he added, did not indicate any disposition to question the necessity for the change which is urged so that the war de- partment can quickly secure the men necessary to win the war.
 Work or Fight Order.
 "There was some discussion" Mir I D o1-a tf1 H1ey n TUh intention of the department to extend the work or fight order to include classes Of persons in various profes- siosal occupations told them there was no present change of the work ol fight order in contemplation. sait that when I decided the baseball cast IT thought perhaps other forms O amusement and entertainment nigh require an extension of the order tt be on a parity with the baseball sit
 hlation, but that was not iii thei mind
 "They had heard from outsid sources that the department was con sidering bringing professional classes | like lawyers, newspaper men and per sons who were not actually engaget
 in producing war supplies under tn
 order"
 t. College Students Considered
 The committee, Mr. Baker contin ued, was especially interested in tn
 effect of the extension of the draf [ ages on colleges and also in tn
 question as to whether young me from IS up would be drawn indiscrim | inately in Class 1 or placed in de ferred class by age and drawn late 5 giving them some added months
 come to maturity.
 q told the committee, said the wa
 secretary, that no fixed policy ha
 been determined upon by the depart ment, but that the purpose was t \ allow the president to defer in Clas
 1 the call of the youngest men. hay :. . always considered, as you perhaps re : member that 19 was the preferab 2 l minimum. and have come to the U minimum only because it seems neces
 sary to get the men.
 V Eighteen is Tender Age. :. "Not that I think men of IS a1 e necessarily too young, because l $ not think that. I think that histol e shows that boys from IS to 19 al e immensely valuable, as. valuable, pc IS haps, as from 19 to 20; but l thir ' there is a sentiment in the count e which will look with very much mo l. anxious regard on the boys from n to 19 than the boys from 19 to 2 It Eighteen years seems to many peop ,- more tender age than 19 and it
 for that reason that we are thinki1 f.f fF ;T -t,sT . # -f