South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-16
DRAF 7 MACHINE
NOW WORKING
At HIGH SPEED
Urgent Need of Man Power
Causes Plans to Go Ahead
Before Congressional
Action.

department are of such a character
that the rapid movement Of troops
TO France is continuing. Sec'y Baker
said Thursday, and by reason of the
very great assistance given by the.
British is placing so much shipping
al the disposal of the American gov
eminent, the department hopes to
continue the accelerated movement
overseas
There are now approximately p
100000 American soldiers in this
country and overseas. Mr.. Baker
added. The reservoir in the United
States is such that even with the ex-
hausting foT a time of the eigibles
in class one. the movement of men
overseas would not be interrupted,
Fourteen national army divisions
already are in France, the secretary
said, and these have been included
i'm the new field army organization
recently announced by Gen. PERISH
ing. There also are u national
guard divisions, including the rain
bow organization. overseas. together
WIN tlft E6 uAoA al lily NV lHiOilSs
Oiling Draft Machinery.
Provost Marshal Gen. Crowder
announced Thursday that plans al
ready have been made for register
ing the 10000 additional men
which he estimates will be brought
under the selective service law when
congress enacts the pending bill eX-
tending the age limits TO include
men between IS and As years From
this number approximately 1000
600 qualified for full military serv-
ice arc expected TO be secured.
So urgent is the need for addi-
tional man power, Gen. Crowder
said, that the draft machinery is be-
ing put into shape for the great task
ahead without waiting for final &C.
ton by congress. Men OF the new
in order TO get them registration day
will have to be held not later than
Sept. 10, and if possible Sept. 5 will
be fixed as the day
When the 100000 are enrolled
nearly $4,000 900 will have been reg
istered since the United States en-
tered the war. There were some To-
100000 enrolled on the first registra-
ton day, June 5. 1917. another 6O0.-
600 last June ., and several hundred
thousand more are expected 10 be
enrolled Aug. "a.
Preliminary Steps Taken.
Preliminary steps have been
taken by the provost marshal gem
eral," said Gen Crowder's state
ment, Ito provide for the registra-
ton Of those men who will be affect
by the act which congress is expect
ed shortly TO pass. extending the
age limits Of the selective draft.
State headquarters. local boards
and other officials in the various
states have been advised to hold
themselves in readiness 10 proceed
promptly with their work as soon as
congress has acted and the presi-
dent by proclamation. has fixed the
date Of registration
Until the legislation is actually
passed il cannot be stated with ex-
actness of course, what the new age
limits will be But. because of the
urgent necessity of the situation. il
is essential that as much of the
preparatory work as possible be
done at this time in order that the
administration may promptly avail
itself Of the new law. To that end
now. as in the past, the utmost re-
lance is placed on the American
people 10 supply the necessary CO.
Situation Urgent.
The situation is urgent. because
by Oct. 1, class one, under the age
limits OF the original act. Will have
been entirely exhausted Unless
there is TO be a very serious inter-
ruption In the flow of American
troops TO the camps and thence
across the seas TO France. class one
must be replenished at the earliest
possible moment by available men
both below and above the present
age limits Of p 10 81 There is. lit
orally. no time 10 be lost.
The bill which has been intro
duCed I'm congress at the request Of
the war department would fix the
new age limits at between IS and
A. years. That is 10 say. il would
include. in addition 10 the men with
in the present limits. those between
32 and As inclusive Ga annual
classes and those between is and
20 inclusive (three annual classes)
1000. 600 i'm Class One.
These limits were suggested 70
congress by the war department.
because the military man power pro
gram of the United States requires
that the now nearly depleted reser-
voir Of class one men shall be re-
plenished by more than 1000. 600
men available for full military serv-
I ice. On the basis OF actuarial fig
ures from Insurance companies. cen
| sus computations and the expert
| ence Of this Office in the previous
/ registration. il has been estimated
/ that the required mum Der of men for
I class one may be had only by includ-
ing within the draft age limits men
between 60 and - and between Is
and 20. That is 10 say. approx
I mately II, 900 600 must be added &.
the list OF registrants in order thai
with all exemptions allowed, al leas
100000 men will remain in clas