The Washington times., 1918-08-04

All male residents OF the United
States between the ages Of is and 45
will be made subject to draft These
are the age limits finally decided on
by the War Department Bills to
carry the provisions into effect will
be introduced in the Senate and
House tomorrow.
In extending the draft ages the
present classification will be followed.
Questionnaires will be filled out as
has been done by the men in the
present draft. Class / will b used
as the reservoir from which the
armies in the field are made up The
men in Glass 1, as at present, will
be those who are unmarried and
have no dependents. The exception
Is that the men OF is to 10 will be
put in at the very bottom OF Class 1
by themselves. to be called only when
all other registrants in that class
have been exhausted
Military Reasons Only.
Secretary OF War Baker yesterday
took occasion to. deny that anything
but military necessity had been a
compelling force in reaching the de-
cision on the age limit He said that
the suggestion that the real reason
why the ages IS to IS had been de-
cided on was that the War Depart
ment desired to control labor through
its present work or fight ruling was
unfounded
The whole thing was decided from
the standpoint OF military necessity"
explained the Secretary. THE So
called work or fight provision was
not even considered"
No figures were forthcoming from
the War Department as to the num-
ber of men that It was estimated
would be made available by the new
registration when 1t is completed. In
the opinion of the Secretary it will
be none too many" inasmuch as
there will have to be enormous ex-
emptions Of married men, men with
dependents. and men who are abso-
lutely essential in industry. Officials
said that in extending the draft ages
the greatest care will be taken to
safeguard industry.
Contents Announced.
Senator Chamberlain, chairman Of
the Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee. announced the contents of the
new man-power bill yesterday after
noon. His announcement later was
confirmed by Secretary Of War Baker.
The bill will give enough men to
maintain an army of three or four
million men in France. and to keep
as many more in training in the
United States, without encroaching
upon the deferred classes" Senator
Chamberlain said.
Thn-a ali n
men in the United States army. Sec
retary Baker announced. One million
three hundred thousand are in France
and 1,7oo, 900 in training In this coun-
try. The new bill will at least double
the present strength Of the fighting
forces.
The man-power bill contemplates
universal military service for those
reaching the age of eighteen for the
period Of the war and industrial
mobilization of men from thirty-one
to forty-five. II was made clear that
those between thirty-one and forty
fve will be set at fighting only in the
greatest emergency. The same thing
applies to boys OF eighteen.
WOrk-Or-F1Eht Order.
Enactment OF the man-power bill
Will be followed by an immediate ex-
tension Of the work-or-hght order.
bringing IT to bear upon the new reg
istrants above thirty-one. These men
very probably will be drafted for non
combatant service, to release men be-
tween twenty-one and thirty-one who
are now in that service>Tor lighting.
Men within the present draft ages
now employed in essential Industries
may also be released by replacing
them with the new registrants.
The President will be authorized in
the bill to draft persons liable to
military service in such sequence of
ages at such time or times as he may
prescribe" AZ drawn by the War
Department, the bill places practi-
cslly no Limitation on the Presidents
power over American manhood. AT
the same time II was announced that
the Administration plans calling the
older men among those who have not
yet reached their majority, but still
are subject to military service. before
the younger.
Those below twenty-one will be d.
vsded into three classes 1t was ex-.