New Britain herald., 1918-08-17
SIX MILLION UNDER
 ARMS BY JUNE 1
War Officials Believe This Figure
 Can Be Maintained

Washington, Aug. 17.-Six million men under arms by June 1, 1919, is the program of the war and navy depart ments and the maximum of man DOW CT anticipated from the existing seleC- tive draft act and the legislation now proposed. This includes the navy of the United States and the United States marine corps, as well as the ele- ments comprising the United States army. It is this war strength of Americas fighting forces which, once achieved, will be the continuous mtli- tary and naval force actively engaged in beating down the Teuton.
 It has been figured by the actuarial tables employed in the preliminary work of the office of the provost mar shal general, which prepared all of the regulations for the registration, enrolment and conscriptiOn of the National Army, that the fighting forces of the United States can be maintained at approximately this figure so long as the TeutOnic allies desire to keep on fighting.
 The accretiOn of fighting man power to the government through the ma turing of the men of the country, once 8 years is set as the minimum age of Il, per annum approximately, or 100000 month. It is thought to be incOn- ceiVable that the depletion of the force as the months of the war progress can exceed or even parallel this number. l It is true that a month of intense | fighting might show a casualty list of | 100000 men, but such a rate of loss, l either from deaths in action, from wounds, from disease, or serious l wounds, cannot continue for any num- ! Der of months.
 It was the knowledge of this meas | ure of Americas fighting strength it is believed in military circles here, which induced General March to make 1 the assertion before the senate mili- 1 tary committee that with an army of 4,O0O,OOO Americans added to the fight l ing strength of the allies, the penetra- 1 tion of the German lines and the driv- 1 ing back of the Hun hOrdes could be | cOmplished where and when the allies ! choose.
 At the office of the provost mar
 shal general every plan for the en- ! rolment of the new additional force | of 2,30O,000 composed of the drafted 1 men between the ages of s and 45 ! is in readiness for registration day. l The war department now waits upon l congress. But at the same time the 1 war department officials and Provost 1 Marshal General Crowder sit secure
 in the belief that the man power bill
 will go through congress with de- | spatch once the legislative bodies get ! down to action.
 Today the provost marshal general | gave out his general answer to the
 clamorous demand for the furlough-
 ing of members of the army for work
 in the harvest fields this autumn. Gen. CroWder's announcement fol- | lows:
 'The soldier himself may make ap- ! plicatien to his commanding officer
 for permission to return to the farm, 1 or his relatives Cor the person inter
 eSted) may make application for his
 return on forms provided for that 1 purpose through the local board 1 where the man is registered. The To- l cal board after approving the appliCa-
 ton will forward it to the command
 ing officer of the camp where the sol l dier is stationed. If approved by the l commanding officer he will issue the | necessary furlough order, directing 1 that the man be returned to agricul-
 ture."
 The war department also issued an 1 urgent request to the prospective
 draftees to be enrolled under the ex- | isting law of 1917 to give strict at l tention to the registration require
 ments It said:
 l Any claims for exemp ption may be
 filed subsequently, in filling out the
 questionnaire blanks, which will be
 furnished to the registrants.
 Provision will be made for the reg
 istration by mail of any person who
 expects to be absent on registration
 day from the jurisdiction of the board
 where he permanently resides, but in
 such case extreme care should be
 taken by him to see that his registra
 ton card~reaChes his home board on
 or. before August 24. Such persons
 are advised to apply at once to a To-
 cal board for instructions as to how
 to proceed.'