The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-01-05
Increase Of Age From 81 to 45
Years Is Forecast BY Crow
der In Report
WILL Be NEEDED To AID
Draft of Older Men Would Be Mainly
For Skilled War Labor But Also
To Distribute Burdens of
Conflict.

Washington, Jan 5.--Increasing
the draft age from 81 to 40 or 40
years is one of the probabilities of
the future according to Provost
Marshal General Crowder in his COM
prehensive report to the secretary of
war.
The draft of the older men should
be mainly for skilled labor, but also
to distribute the burdens of the war.
Youth Plentiful.
There are plenty of young men for
the first line fighting, Crowder had
shown, but ne also points out there is
a danger of "injuring the coming gen.
Grafton" by taking away too many OF
the "aggressively patriotic young
men"
Out of the 10,6S3,249 men between
the ages of 81 and So, Crowder esti-
mates 3,525,472 are unmarried and
that 80 per cent of the latter figure,
or 1,3S9,3SS, would be accepted for
service under the present regulations.
Best Soldiers Are Young.
Advocating tlis legislation, Crow
der said
The younger men are generally
deemed TO make the soundest and
most pliable military material. On
the other hand, the older men are
more likely to yield in large numbers
the occupational skill so necessary in
the varied compositions of the mod
ern army.
Under the national selective serv-
ice system, which seeks to distribute
the burden equally among the will
ing and unwilling, it is important,
If not essential, to include the older
men because the smaller proportion
of them is likely to enlist"
Position Advantageous.
Under the new system card in.
dex will be compiled in Washington
after the Questionnaires are all re-
turned. In this way the government
will be able to put it's finger on men
in certain trades just when they are
needed.
The whole labor problem can thus
be controlled" Crowder pointed out.
Adjustments in order that this
nation may be in the most advapta-
geous position ever occupied by a
belligerent power in war would thea
be possible"
Thousands Fail to Appear.
Fifty thousand real slackers in the
United States is Provost Marshal
General f. III. Crowder's estimate in
his report to Secretary n. ID. Baker
That calculation supposes that 10
men in each registration district
have escaped service without being
caught
While a few more than 250,000 oil
the more tian 100000 registered
Ten failed to appear when called for
examination General Crowder esti
mates leaves about $4,000 real slack
INTO military service without notify
ing local boards.
This leaves more than 10000 tt
be accounted for" says the provost
marshal general.
76,545 Aliens In Army.
General Crowder estimates 100,00t
probably are aliens. This he esti
mates leaves about $4,000 real slack
ers to be accounted for Only a few
more than 10000 have been identified
and few more than 1000 have beer
prosecuted.
The report shows that 92S Ger
mans OF draft age have been accepted
for service In the national army
total OF 14,161 enemy aliens were &C
cepted, the remainder being Aus
TRANS or Hungarians. The enemy
alien registration was 279,431, o
whom 104,672 were called to produc,
the 14,161 accepted. All aliens &C
cepted make a total of 76.545