Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-08-10
BAKER WOULD GIVE.
ALL Married M { N.
DRAFT EXEMPT TON
SECRETARY OF WAR SAYS LAW
SHOULD BE CHANGED so REG
lSTRANTS NEED NOT CLASSIFY
THEMSELVES.


Washington, Aug. 10--New draft
regulations, under which the govern
ment would do the selecting are TN
der consideration by the War depart
ment.
This was disclosed today by Sac
rotary Baker, after he had appeared
before the Senate military committee
to urge prompt enactment OF the act
extending the age limits.
He made 1t plain that he is not
satisfied with the present system
under which the registfant must
claim deferred classification, Many
with dependents hesitate for patri.
otto reasons to make such claim.
He said he was inclined 10 the
opinion that the marriage relation
will in itself constitute deferred
classification.
He wishes to lay down a set Of
questions for the registrant to an
swer and then have rules take care
OF the classification.
Work or Fight Rule.
The discussion before the senate
committee, he said. followed much
the lines taken by Gen March and
Gen. Crowder.
The committee, he added, did not
indicate any disposition to question
the necessity for the change. He
said:
There was some discussion as
to whether 1t was the intention of
the, department to extend the work
or fight order to include classes OF
persons in various professional oc.
equations.
Il told them there was no pres
ent change Of the work or fight order
in contemplation.
Il said that when | decided the
baseball case I thought perhaps
other forms of amusement and en-.
tertailment might require an ex-
tension Of the order to be on a
parity with the baseball situation,
but that was not in their mind.
They had heard from outside
sources that the department was
considering bringing professional
classas, like lawyers, newspaper
men and persons who were not
actually engaged In producing war
supplies under the order"
The committee. he continued, was
especially interested in. the effect of
the, extension OF the draft ages on
colleges and also in the question as
to whether young men from Is up
would be drawn unfortunately In
flass one or placed in deferred
class, and went on:
I told the committee that no
fixed policy had been determined
upon by the department, but that
the purpose was to allow the Presi.
dent to defer in class on the call OF
the youngest men,
4 have always considered IA
you perhaps remember, that IS was
the probable minimum, and have
come to the Is minimum only be,
cause II seems necessary to get the
men.
Not that ] think men of IS are|
necessarily too young, because II
40 not think that. think that
history shows that boys from 1gI
TO ~ are immensely valuable. AZ
valuable, perhaps, as from 10 toI
20.
i think there is sentiment in
the country which will look with
very much more anxious regard ON
the boys from IS to 10 than the
boys from 10 to 20
eighteen years seem to many
people a more tender age than 10
ana 1t Is for that reason that We
are thinking OF making this prefer.
en'iai deferment of men from Is to
49, "
sakef told the committee, senators
SAID, that the department wanted 70
carry out the plan Of registering the
men Sept, 3, so that class | could be
resupplied.
CHAIRMAN Chamberlain announced
sna' the committee would assemble
MONDAY, when an effort will be made
to reach report.