Evening journal., 1918-08-07
us. READY FOR new
100000 DRAFT
First Call Will be Made on
Classes of 20-2l and 81
40 Years of Age
REGISTRATION DATE
BETWEEN SEPT. SIS

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7-Plsns for th'
drawing OF the names OF the almos
i3000,000 new registrants which the en-
sctment OF the proposed amendment tC
me existing law would necessitate al
ready are complete. The Provost Mar
shal Generals office will adhere TO the
plan OF the original draft. At that time
the districtlng OF the United States fol
the draft created n vast number Of dis
tricts Of average population, but one
Histrict stood out supreme beyond all
others with 10000 prospective regis
trants.
1t is anticipated thet in arranging
Cor this even larger draft the largest
district will have approximately i2,500
fegistrants, but no change IN the modus
pperandl win be necessary, Colonel
Charles B. Warren, who devised the
scheme used last year, is satisfied that
the entire drawing can be completed
In a single day.
When the new draft bill receives It's
bnal approval no. more than nine or
Ten days OF necessity must elspse be-
There has been no arbitrary date fixed
and the assumption by the press
throughout the county that Septem-
per had been definitely decided upon
bas embarrassed the Provost Marshal
Generals Office not a little. It is hoped
30 Ok a registration day between Sep
tember and i6. Also II Will be neces-
barry in fixing a date for registration
throughout the Union to avoid any day
npon which State or primary elections
are held In any State Of the Union. For
Example Maine election on September
40 is an Impossible date and likewise
there are primary elections I'm various
parts OF the United States early IN Sep
tember. all OF which must be avoided
Tor fhe reason that the election machin-
cry OF the various States and munich
pallties is the mechanlsc upon which
The War Department depends.
The provision In the proposed amend
ment that "the President may draft
such persons liable TO military service
In such sequence Of ages and at such
time or times as he may prescribe" Il
was pointed out az the ofiloe of the
Provost Marshal General gives the Pres
ident complete power 30 exercise his
men actually 10 be called to the cOlors.
Nevertheless II Is the anticipation Of
the War Department that following
upon the registration and the new
draft the President win call lrst the
men between the ages of 81 and 40, to-
gether with those between 90 and q
Should this draft Increment become ex-
hausted In the course OF the war the
20 Aha
senior classifloatlons, namely those
between 'is and 20 and those between
30 apd 50 would follow.
PARTICULARLY with regard 20 the IS
Jend i9 year old registrants will there
De an interesting development IN the
working out OF the new law. Day by
day the men IN these classes approach
and move over into the higher classi-
flcations. so that the continuing intake
OF men reaching thel eighteenth birth !
day provides a vast and growing group /
OF men In the junior olassihcations.
Great Interest attaches as 10 the lnten-
tons Of the President with regard TO
the men OF the three Junior years. but
from neither the White House nor the
War Department has there yet a single
word escaped with regard to what are
49,
The first meeting OF the Senate Mill
larry Committee yesterday to consider .
the <ew plan was marked by the re-
sentiment manifested at the way Sec ,
rotary Baker had handled the matter. II
was decided to ask the Secretary Of !
war 70 explain to the committee his ,
aDrupt change OF front on the question I
OF man power legislation, this determl-
nation being reached before the COM 7
mittee had heard the testimony Of Pro-
Nost Marshal General CrOwder. The !
committee members wanted 20 have ,
secretary Baker appear before them at
once, Dut found that he was out OF
washington on a speaking tour.
Then they decided 30 send for Gen /,
March, chief OF the General STAFF, with
a view OF elicitlng from him a similar ,
explanation, although no matter what ,
Len, March may have to relate they stlll
want 10 cross-examine Mr.. Baker. They
assert the war Secretary deceived them
less than TWO months ago with regard I
70 the needs OF the army in man power
lncrements only to send to them the ,
war departments demands for action !
so speedy as to be almost open to the ,
characterization Of preclpitste.
A-N-~ . Az fhbotigN On lue necessity 4
Tor speedy action now but Senator's are ,
resentful that they were not allowed TO
tettle the whole matter when the army
bill was up. II was not a partisan spirit
which animates the committee. for :
without regard to party afliation the !
members expressed resentment at what
they termed the ineonsiderste deception :
which had been practised upon them. i
This charge is based on an interview
given by Secretary Baker on June 10 to
the newspaper representatives. Il de
veloped that Gen. Crowder had alluded
to these views Of Secretary Baker. Civ
ing the ofacial attitude Of the admin
lstration rather than his own views as
Provost Marshal General
This fact was brought forward In the ;
Military Committee when Il met yes
terdsy. The testimony Of Provost
Marshal General Crowder on June "A
was cited as evidencing what that ex-
pert had interpreted to be the convle-
Tons OF the Secretary OF War.
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