Imperial Valley press., 1918-08-02
v | ii
R RA|SE
DRAFT
A G {.

Washington, Aug. war De-
partment recommendation for enlarg-
. ing the army and Tor. extension OF
draft age limitations, in order to pro-
vide new reservoirs of man power to
back up the forces already at the front,
will be laid before Congress next week.
Members of the two military commit
tees have been recalled to Washing
ton by the chairmen, in order to ex-
pedte the bill.
In announcing, following confer
ence with Chairman Dent of the House
committee, that his increased army
project was virtually ready, Secretary
Baker would not say what age llm-
it's had been settled upon, nor indi-
cate in any way the size of the army
which he is planning.
81 do not want to say what the
ages will be-" he said, because the
concurrent action of the two houses
is necessary to secure assent to>them.
"Any suggestion to extend the draft
ages is to produce in Class l an ade-
uuate number of men for the enlarge
ment of the military program. If the
ages are revised they will have to be
either below q or above 81, or both.
think it will be both"
Dent Reticent.
Chirman Dent was even more retl-
cent, but said he was willing to go
either up or down in extending age
limits of the draft to win the war.
"My personal preference is to go
up first" he added.
The only specific information re-
garding the age limits to be drawn
from Mr.. Baker was statement that
the limits of 10 to 40 had been among
the suggestions canvassed, but reject
ed. In many quarters it is beiieved
extension to the ages of l9 and 30
will be recommended.
In presenting the original Selective
Service bill, Secretary Baker and his
advisers fixed 10 as the proper mini
mum, and Mr. Baker has said repeat
edly since then that he has seen no
reason to change his opinion in that
regard. Congress, however, ruled
against taking men below the voting
age of q.
Congress Views.
The reluctance of many members of
Congress to go lower than the II
limit is still apparent, although there
is evidence of strong sentiment to-
ward carrying the maximum up as high
as AS. There is no doubt, however,
that War Department officials would
prefer to draw on the classes of 19
and 2O-year-old youths to fill the
ranks and see no decided military ad-
vantage to be gained from any con-
siderable extension upward
Secretary Baker has heretofore an
nounced that his policy in recommend
ing any change in draft ages would
be to seek a sufficient number of men
to meet the army's needs in such
ages as would least disturb the eco
nomic situation at home. The bulk
of the new forces, in his view, should
be drawn from the youngest class of
men physically able to stand the strain
of modern warfare.
From the purely army standpoint
this has been boys war from the
start. The quick recuperative powers
of youth have been vitality necessary
ITO the military machine under the
conditions of modern warfare.
Older Men Slow.
Older men are slower to recover and
are, therefore, of more limited use to
the army.
On the other hand, however, there
are a great number of men who could
be called out of the higher ages, even
up to As. A far greater proportion of
the men between 81 and 45 have in
defenusnC lHcoiies tHah 10 'iue WIN
men below 81, reducing the depen-
dents factor for exemption to that
extent.
1t is not certain that the depart
ment is aiming at the creation of a
force of any definite size. There are
now upwards of 100000 American
troops either overseas or en- route
Secretary Baker said today the ship
ment rate of thee carly part Of July