Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-20
IIER FAVORS
lAFT EXTENSION
Sposed Legislation Fixes
Age Limits Between
G. l8 and as
)ACHELORS COME FIRST
Rill Be Taken i'm Preference
to Younger Married
Men
BACHELORS COME FIRST
BY ROBERT T. SMALL
In Toddy's Public Ledger

49, NdsUitStOu. june IL.
8ecretary OF War Baker has been
Won over 10 the program to extend
the military service draft act 70 all
men between eighteen and rorty.five
years.
There is no intention Of calling all
elfgtbIe men between these ages imme.
diately into the army. but the pro
posed legislation will have the effect
Of what the English would call a
scombing-out process" and will give
70 the Government a firmer control
than ever over the man-power OF
the country.
II will enable the military authors
ties to draft into the army older sin
teave untouched for the moment the
young married men with children now
h the deferred classification Of the
( ofitinal act.
Il will apply The "work-or.fight" or
der 70 many millions Of men not al
! fectcd at this time. The army au.
/ thorfties do not seek nor do they eS
Z pect that Congress will give them the
right to say just where aud a. what
occupation a man shall work. but as
4 matter of military necessity the
army feels 1t must have the power 20
say that II man Of recognized mil
tary age and QUALIFICATION is not de,
voting himself to work cOnneCte
With the war. then he must be called
90 serve with the colors OF mis- coun
Gy
Baker Announces Approval
The War Department mas not .or.
maiiy recommended the new !eg.sla.
ton to Congress but Provost Marshal
General Crowder has been urging it.
and Secretary Baker said today:
IF the amendment 70 the draft act
to extend the age limits TO ali men
betweer eighteen and forty.five Years
Il submitted 70 me shall recommend
that II be passed"
This virtually settles the mater for
there seems 20 be no doubt a: ali that
Congress is ready 10 follow the advice
of the military authorities.
Secretary Baker had hes..ated TO
come out fatty for the wider scope Of
the se,ective service act until ne could
inquire closely into the effect the
Drafting of men Up 10 forty.tive years
of age would have upon the essential
war Industries Of the courory. He
DLlA - sluuytis fHS s'pENS'' !!N % h
today. but. he afSled. he thought The
provisions now existing in the draft
law as to the exemption Of men needed
for specific war labor and essential in.
ansfries would AXE care Of the sicua.
ffou brought about by the increase in
\ elnalitAry service eligibility from thirty.
one to forty-five years,
No Hesitancy
War Department due 10 any "teEder-
ness" for the men who would come
within the military purview Of the
new regulations, for II was realized
from the first that the fixing of the
are limit at between twsnty-one and
.khjrtv.oue years was but the begin
ming. Secretary Baker himself recon-
I nended that young men of nineteen
~ Included IN the first d-1ft law. but
Congress felt This would not De neces-
eary, and the age Of legal manhood
fUaa agreed upon.
Ny Members of Congress from mining
{Aiatricts We're informed today by Cen
Agal Crowder's Office that there will be
- reconsideration of the decision not
feo grant deferred classification to miners
- class. This will leave The matter of
miners classifcations with the local
boards as heretofore, and in some quar-
fers the decision was believed to have
boen Influenced partially. at least. By
ms small number Of fighting men left
~ Glass /.