The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-30
General Crowder Says They
Are Eligible. Secretary OF
War Baker Says Otherwise
SENATE MILITARY
COMMITTEE MUST
SETTLE MATTER
Difference of Opinion Simply
Misunderstanding. Says " ar
Department Head-New Bill
Affects About 1000 900 Men

washington, Jan. 2a---shalI the
men who have become thirty-one
years old since June 5, 1917, go auto
matically out OF the draft iistT
This question was brought up to-
night following a meeting this AFTER =
noon OF the senate military commit
tee, now probing the war department.
Provost Marshal-Generai CroRuer
said he did not think SO. Secretary
of war Baker said IN his Office that
re believed these men should be re-
aeved from military service.
When General Crowdes appeared
r@fore the committee 70 urge passage
Of bill registering all men who nave
become twenty-one since the date IN
diceted he was surprised when told
the secretarv's idea about the thirty
one-year- men Secretary Baker
made this statement week or SO ago
lust after the bin waa sent to the
chairmen of the house and senate
military committees.
II arm a little unpre pared for the
secretary'a statement" said General
Crowder. II do not know of such
provision IN tbs bill. ] would very
much prefer for ;he thirty-one-yeat
men TO remain in the draft"
Differences OF Opinion.
Il sent the bills TO the chatrmen.
said the secretary. Il certainly in
tended that those men should be re-
leased If there IS any difference OF
opinion between the general and my
self. it was simply m!sunderstand-
iag In our conversation. that was all
The senate committee WAS prepared
tonight TO report the BIZ favoraoiy
70 the senate tomorrow. but some oil
TIE mem hers are opposed II releas-
sng the thirty year-oid men and
!, Assm~sasi8 may Ee delayed
General Crowder was on the stand
less than Ave IA nutes, He preceded
howard Coffin, chairman Of the air.
crast board, who told in secret o'
operations for air war here and
abroad
The whole OF this week will he
consumed in hearing aviation experts
II may he ten days before Secretary
1saker Is recalled by the committee
In The meantime the war cabinet Dill
~ held up pending further testimony
The proves, marshal general was
urgent that tina committee introduce
The draft bill 1t would make tr1.ne-
diatelv available fer service 2.ooo.0ot
men IN draft class number one
Men for Active Service.
When the twenty -one~year old r7er
have been registere', new drAwluE
would probably he ordered and th'
men classified Fully Is per cent O
ii EN-. IT 10 estimated, would be II
class l. The provost acknowledgements
said that all but about one-ouarte'
OF the 5000. 900 would probably IA
physically and otherwise RI for ser
vice.
This number would Go away with
the necessity OF calling out deferre'
classes, and so n future. after class
/ ia drawn in community, no NOR
men will be drawn there until all @
class | have been taken Throughout
the country.
An interesting suggestion by tn,
provost marshal general was that tn
president be given authority to draf
| mechanical experts,
The new draft bill fs one checking
IN corrections. One change to b.
made ia that In future the quota will
not take into account the large mum
Der of unbeatable aliens. whose In
ciusaon has caused so much discon
tsnt in some localities. In thes
o,fotas Americans have bean taken I,
undue proportion because aliens wer
not liable to military duty.