Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-10
TO AUTOMATICALLY
CLASSIFY ALL MEN
OF MILITARY AGE
Proposed Draft Rules VIII
Relieve Registrants From
Embarrassment.
SECRETARY ... APPEARS
BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE
Explains l!ec-sslt" ior Early Pas
sage Of Departments Man
Power Measure.
DEFER CALL OF YOUNGER ME%
SECRETARY .. APPEARS
BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE
DEFER CALL OF YOUNGER ME>;
president Will BE Authorized to De-
lay Call Of Those Under 80
Years Of Age.

lay Call Of Those Under 10
Years Of Age.
WASHINGTON. August .-New draf,
regulations under which the govern
mcnt would do the selecting rather
than leaving II TO the registrant. are
under consideration by the War De
nartnent This was disclosed to-day
oy Secretary Baker. after he had APP
pearcd before the Senate Military Com
mittce to urge prompt enactment of tho
new sciective service act extending the
age limits to include all men between
me ages Of eighteen and forty-hvc
The War Secretary made IL plain that
he is not satisfied with the present sys-
TEN. under which the regislrant must
claim deferred class iiicatioI. as many
men with dependents hesitate for pa
tTiotic reasons, to make such a ella i'm.
In this connection, Sir. Baker said he
"as inclined 10 the opinion that the
marriage relation Will in itself consti-
tute deferred classification.
what Mr.. Baker has in mind Is to
lay down a set OF questions which the
Resistant would answer, and then have
rules which would take care OF the
classification. He is understood TO re-
Sard this as the fair and equitable sys-
tern.
The discussion on the draft ages be
fore :he Senate committee. Mr.. Baker
said. followed much the lines taken
h% General March chief Of STAFF and
Provost t-Marshal-Gencral Crowder The
committee, he added. did not indicate
any disposition to question the ncces-
si'y for the change. which Is urged so
that the War Department can quickly
secure the men necessary 20 kin the
war
40 CHANGE: ~ "WoUk
or FIGHi''' REGULATION
There was some discuss!on. MIR.
Baker sa!d. ''as 10 whether II WAS the In
ten,ion o. the department 20 extend
the work or hight order to incIr,d.
classes OF persons In various profes-
s!onal occupations. told them there
WAS no present change OF tho work or
hGht' order IN contemplation. said
tha; when | decided the baseball case
] thought. perhaps. other forms Of
amusement and entertainment might
require an extension OF the order to
be OH a parity with the baseball sit
uation. but that was not in their mind
They had heard from outside sources
that the department was considering
bringing professional classes like law
yers. newspaper men and persons who
were not actually engaged in producing
war supplies under the order"
The committee. Mr.. Baker said. was
especially interested in tho effect OF
The extension OF the draft ages en- col
!eges and also in the question as 10
whether young men from eighteen UP
would be drawn indiscr i'm inately iI;
class or placed in a deferred class
by ag" and drawn later giving them
some added months TO come TO ma
furity.
PRESIDENT TO DEFER
CALL OF YOUNGEST MEN
Il told the committee" said the War
secretary. that no fixed policy had
been determined upon by the derar,
ment. but that the purpose was 10 al
low the President TO defer in class
the call of the youngest men. I have
always considered, as you perhaps re-
member. that nineteen was the pre-
fcrablc minimum. and / have come tc
the eighteen minimum only because
il seems necessary to get the men: not
that think men of eighteen are nee
cssariiy too young, because I do not
think that. think that history shows
that boys from eighteen to nineteen
are immensely valuable. as valuable,
perhaps, rs from nineteen to twenty;
but think there is sentiment in
the country which will look with very
much more anxious regard on the boys
from, eighteen to nineteen thin tie
hoys from nineteen to twenty. Eiyh-
teen years seems to many people
more tender age than nineteen. and 1t
is for that reason that we are thinking
of making this preferential d"fermcnt
OF mcn from eighteen to nineteen"
senators said that in urging speedy
enactment of the rev man power bill,
11r Hoker had left to the Judgment
Of congressional leaders the qu est:on
az recalling the Senate in session be-
fore the expiration of the recess pro
rrnm-Augrst &c because the leaders
are more familiar with the Legislative
rroeram than Is the secretary.
WANTS rO REGISTER
MEN BY SEPTEMBER 3
MIR. Baker told the COMMITTEES. SEN
ators sa,d, that the department wanted
90 carry out the plan OF registering
the men September 5, so that class l
..ould be rcsupplied. The present res
,.ryoir soon will be exhausted, aE5 it
was said that either tho size or the
monthly calls must be reduced or mcn
taken from the deferred classes.
secretary Baker was the last OF army
md navy officials to be called before
the committee begins consideration OF
the new bill. Because OF :he comnnit-
,ee's visit to the war council, Chair
man Chamberlain announced that TO
meeting would b" held tomorrow but
that the committee would assemble
TronfInued IN Second NaoeN