The sun., 1918-08-04
DRAFT AGES 18
TO45; TAKES
100000 MEN
Secretary Bakers Bill Goes
to Both Houses of Con-
gress Tomorrow.
LAST CALL TO BE 18 TO 21
Will Put All at Useful Work,
but the Plan Is Not TO
Conscript Labor.
LAST CALL TO BE 18 TO 21
special Despatch TO THs Soy.


WASHINGTON. Aug. 3.-Extension of
the draft ages 20 cover all men from IS
to As years OF age is called for In the
Department. The War Department
plans have been perfected and were an
nounced by Secretary Baker to-day
The bill to extend the ages will be in
troduced in both houses OF Congress
Monday. It has been presented to Chair
man Chamberlain (Ore) Of the Senate
Military Committee. and Chairman Dent
(Ala.) Of the House Committee. SEN
ator Chamberlain will back the measure
and Representative Dent has been won
over he let 1t be known to-day, from
his former opposition to lowering the
draft age below 81.
Secretary Bakers new age limits are
Identical with those proposed In the
resolution of Senator Fall IN. M in
troduced In June, which stirred up such
a debate In the Senate and which, de-
spite the support OF Republicans, was
tabled at the urgent request Of Mr.,
Baker and Gen. March, who asked for
more time In which to consider the mat
ter
would Add Millions of Men.
The new plan II approved by Con-
grees will mean registration for military
or industrial purposes OF many addi-
tional millions of Americas manhood.
On the basis OF the II to 81 registration
the number of additional men TO be reg
istered would be around 100000 but
this does not allow for the increased
mortality as the ages advance. II the
War Department has made any esti-
mates based on the mortality figures
they have not as yet been announced
Many believe that the number OF new
registrants will be less than 5000, 900,
allowing for the increased mortality.
In making the announcement of the
new age limits that ne would propose to
Congress Secretary Baker said:
"All the possible combinations of age
limits we're carefully studied and it was
found that In order to get the men into
Glass for the programme proposed Is
to 45 was necessary.
The bill when introduced. however.
will contain a provision authorizing the
President to call men out OF Glass by
classes according to ages. 10 that II Il is
found possible. the men between IS and
10 will be called out later than the
older men who are found eligible to
Glass /.
Docs Not Conscript for Labor.
This will undoubtedly have the et-
feet OF taking men who are otherwise
deferred and putting them into useful
labor, but 1t does not conscript anybody
for labor. 1t is purely a military mat
ter"
Tentative registration plans have been
worked out by Gen Crowder and the cs-
innate Is made by him that the task of
registering and classifying the men can
be completed In ninety days from the
pa ssage OF the act by Congress. While
this seems a short period considering
the gigantic task which the new plan
will now impose upon the draft ma
chinery. Gen. Crowder is convinced that
his machine is now so we'll oiled that 1t
will not take any longer. The new
drawing must take place probably with
more numbers In tho bowl than under
the first registration.
The Administration proposal to raise
the draft age to 45 years will meet no
opposition in Congress. but very strong
current OF opposition to cutting the age
below 21 already has been evidenced In
both the Senate and House. Senators
Kirby (Ark.) and McKellar (Tenn.), the
latter a member of the Senate Military
Committee. have declared that they
would never vote for lowering the age
limit for the draft below 21 years.
Chairman Dent Won Over.