Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-20
TO CALL YOUNGEST
REG|STRANTS LAST
Congress Prepares for Early Ac-
tion on Man-Power
Legislation.
WILL WIN THE WAR IN 1919
Senate Sets Aside Summer Vaca-
ton Agreement to Take
Up Bill Thursday.
WILL WIN THE WAR IN 1919
lRy Associated prcssl

tending the draft ages will begin in
the. Senate next Thursday. Wuh n
quorum present to-day the Senate set
aside the agreement for vacation re-
cesses until August "a and cleared the
way Tor taking UP the draft measure
without further delay.
Fifty seven Senators twenty. nine
Republicans and twenty-eight Demo-
crats-answcred to-day's roll call.
AS soon as 1t was found that a quorum
was present Senator Cham rlain asked
that the recess agreement be vacated
and there was no opposition He then
announced that he would bring up the
man-power bill Thursday. Upon the
motion of Senator Nelson Of Mime
sofa. the ranking Republican present.
the Senate at once adjourned out Of re-
spect TO the late Senator GallinEer
NO GENERAL EXEMPTION
OF MARRIED MEN PLANNED
No general exemption of married
men, simply because OF their married
status. is contemplated by the War
Department in preparing for the pro-
posed extension OF draft ages, Secre-
tary Baker declared to-day in a state
ment before the House Military Com
mittee on the new administration man
power bill
Before the House committee, Secre-
tory Baker and his aids again urged
action on the bill, discussing various
phases of the enlarged program which
calls for an army of nearly 100000
Americans in France by June 80, 1919.
with another 100000 training In this
country.
MARCH SAYS WAR
WILL BE WON IN WEST
Predicting that the war will be won
or lost on the western front, regard
less of what happens elsewhere, Gem
erai March told the committee that,
with eighty trained American divisions
of about $1,000, men each in Franco,
under an American commander, victory
ought to rest on American arms next
year. Reiterating his belief that such
n force could go through the German
lines at WILL General March. went fur
ther, and electrified the committeeman
by declaring such force should
sion in 1919"
Suggestions that the 100000 army
program would exhaust Americas
man power were laughingly denied by
General March. but he joined Secrc-
tary Baker in explaining that it rep
resents Americas maximum effort for
the present.
SECRETARY BAKER EXPLAINS
PLAN FOR CALLING REGIsTRANTs
Plans for calling new registrants
under the proposal explained by Sec
retary Baker. provide for three classes,
probably to be called in order--those
between nineteen and thirty-seven
Years OF age. those between thirty
seven and forty-hve. and those between
eighteen and nineteen. Mr.. Baker did
e.ghteen-year-old youths. but he and
General March said all eligibles prob
ably would be called out not later than
next spring
The secretary told the committee
that his previous statement OF the
departments intention to libcralize the
draft regulation in dealing with the
older men to be made subject to call
had been misconstrued. He said there
was no intention to exempt married
men as a class, and that married men
who do not support their wives or are
be called as they now are.
General Crowder told the committee
that men now in class l will be ex-
hausted after the September call, and
urged speedy action on the bill to
provide sufficient men for future calls.
although General March said he
thought there will be enough men to
last until November without the new
legislation. BY January l. General
March said he hoped to complete
classifying the nation"
TWO WAYS. DO 1T Now
or DO IT AFTER AWHILE
There are two ways of prosecuting
this war" Mr.. Baker said. .'One way
is to make every possible effort to do
it now, and the other is to proceed some
what more leisurely and do II late.
The obvious advantage from every
standpoint-social. military, industrial
and economics to pu, forth every Of
fort in this country and win the war
as soon as possible"
There is a sentiment in the COM
mittee," said Mr.. Baker. II don't know
young as eighteen unless it is abso.
ment Of the country is to get all the
men necessary. But from the begin
ming I have planned. as matter OF
regulation. to have men from eighteen
to nineteen put in separate class.
with view to deferring their call until
II is necessary"
Secretary Baker added that this pref
erence might we'll he left to executive
regulations. hut he would have no oh
lection TO having written into the bill
specific new provision to make a sep
arate class for the eighteen-year.ol
youths. He explained that In planning
to ''sift out" the new rcgistrants from
eighteen TO forty-fvc. General Crow
der already has prepared to form two
classcs--mcn from nineteen to thirty
six and those above thirty-six, leaving
(Continucd on Fifth Page.)