Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-08-30
i, 5, WILL Win
WAR IN 1918
Decision viii Come on the West
ern Front Regardless of Russia,
Chief of Staff March Asserts.
80 DIVISIONS FOR FRANCE.
Proposed to Defer Call of 1919 Class
Until the Last, House Committee
ToId-.No General Exemption
of Married Men.

Observation-Disclosures the House MIL
itary Committee Secretary Baker said
"The obvious advantage from every
standpoint Is to put forth every effort
in this country and win the war as
soon as possible.
"There are many married men In
this country who ought to go and fight
as freely as single men.
II have planned to have men from
eighteen to nineteen put in a separate
class, with q view to deferring their
call until it is necessary.
at will be possible for Secretary
Daniels and me to work out a program
to supply men for the navy for the
fighting branch and also the merchant
ship service"
General March said:
'If you put so divisions of Ameri-
cans in France of approximately 49,
600 men to q division you will give
marked superiority In rifle power, and
we should be able to bring the war to
a successful conclusion in 1919.
"The program of Mr.. Schwab will
take care Of the army program and
gain Oh 1t.
"The American army Is all cream.
II think the war will be won or lost
on the western front"
Congress prepared to enact quickly
the new man power legislation extend
ing the draft age limits to eighteen
and forty-five years for the American
military program which General
March, chief of staff, told the House
Military Committee should win the
war In 1919.
While the House Committee began
work on the bill by hearing General
March, Secretary Baker and Provost
Marshal General CroWder, the senate
set aside its summer vacation agree
ment In order to take up the measure.
1t appeared probable that the bill
would be debated simultaneously In
the senate and house and passed soon
thereafter.
Before the House Committee Secre-
tary 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 million in training in this
country.
Secretary Baker and General March
explained that calls are planned first
from the men in the class Of nineteen
10 thirty-siX years, next from those
thirty-six to forty-fye and last Of
cightcen-year-Old youths. The greater
task of classifying lEen over thirtysix,
ii was explained, led to the policy Of
calling them later than those between
nineteen and thrty-siX Mr.. Baker
did not object to separate classitlca-
ticn Of cighteen-year-old youths, but
he and General March said all eligl-
hles probably would be called out not
later than next spring.
General March told the committee
that with so trained American divi-
Sions OF about $4,000 men each In
France under an American commander
victory ought TO rest on American
arms next year, rci;erating his be-
licf that such Il force could go through
the German lines at will. General
March went further and electrified the
comrit;tro by declaring such d force
"si!oi;!d bring the war to successful
conclusion in 1910
To exert this American man power
in securing victory, General March
said every single man. between
eighteen and fortyfive years in Glass
l would be needed by next spring.
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