Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-08-20
Gew March Tells the House
NJ Y Committee That
OufN s Are Drawn to End
Stfug9ol 1919,
MAN -P0WGAslLL is TO
GET PRoE$S ATTENTION
Congress Prepares to Enact
Quickly Legislation Extend
ing the Draft Ages; West
Front is Crucial Point,

10Y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrsri
Washington, Aug. l9.-Congress
prepared today to enact the new man
power legislation extending the draft
age limits to Is and As years. General
March told the house military COM
mittee the program should win the
war in 1919.
While the house committee began
work on the bin by hearing General
March, Secretary Baker and General
Crowder. the senate set aside its sum
mer vacation and will take up the
measure Thursday 1t appeared prob
able the bill would be debated simul-
taneousy in the senate and house the
last Of this week and passed quickly.
Senate prohibition advocates agreed
temporarily to lay aside their bill and
slVe the man-power program right OK
way.
Before the house committee, Secre.
lary Baker and his aides again urged
action on the bin, discussing various
phases Of the enlarged program which
calls for an army of nearly 1000, 0O0
Americans In France by June 80, 1919,
with another 100000 in training in
this country
Win or Lose in West.
Predicting that the war viii be won
or lost on the western front regard
less Of what happens elsewhere, Cen.
eral March told the committee that
with 80 trained American divisions OF
about 5000 men each. in France
under an American commander. VIC
tory ought to rest on American arms
next year Reiterating his belief that
such a force could go through the
German lines at viii, General March
went further and electrified the COM
mitteemen by declaring such a force
should bring the war to a successful
conclusion in 1919"
To exert this American man-power
in securing victory General March
said, every single man" between IS
and As years in class would be need.
ed by next spring Shipping facilities
are assured and maintenance prob.
lens have been considered on the
program.
Suggestions that the 5000, 900 army
program would exhaust Americans
man-power were laughingly denied by
General March. but Me Joined secre-
'ary Baker in explaining that it rep,
resents Americas maximum effort for
the present.
Plan for Three Glasses.
Plnns for calling new registranta
under the proposal explained by Sec.
retary Baker, provide for three classes
probably to be called in order. those
between 10 and 81 years Of age. thoss
between 81 and As and those between
Is and 10. Mr. Baker did not object
TO separate classification OF fS-year.
old youths, but he and General March
'aid all eligibles probably would ba
"alled out not later than next spring
The secretary told the COMMITTEES
that his previous statement of the de-
partment's intention 10 lberalize tho
draft regulations in dealing with the
Older men to be made subject to cali
had been misconstrued. He said there
was no intention to exempt married
men as class and that married men
who do not support their wives or are
not engaged in useful occupations will
be called as they now are e-4.
Work or Fight" Clause.
Discussing the work or fight"
amendment of Senator Thomas of
Colorado, to the senate bill Secretary
Baker said II Seems entirely consist
ant' with the present regulations and
Is unobjectionable. He said II does not
provide for conscrlption Of labor, as
by representatives of or
sanzed labor, but merely would be
declaration by congress OF the work
Or fight" principle already put into
effect by the draft regulations.
Secretary Morrison of the American
federation of Labor appeared In op-
position to the amendment and II was
,rranged to hear him and other labor
representatives. tomorrow Chairman
Dent said tonight that he hoped to re-
port the measure Wednesday or
Thursday, probably with amendments.
{ sentiment in the committee for pro-
isions specifying the order of classes
o be called and specifically to defer
'alls for 1S-year-old boys are adopted.
representative Kahn OF California.
'anking republican member. plans a
report in favor of the ad-
plan
Nearing End OF Glass Men.
General Crowder told the commit
ee that men now in class 1 would be
Exhausted after the September call
nd urged speedy action on the bill 10
'rovide sufficient men for future calls,
Though General March said he
hought there will be enough men to
asst until November without the new
egislation. BY January /. General
'rowder said he hoped to complete
classifying The natiQn.''