Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-08-20
Measure to Be Introduced Thursday and Debated
 in Both Houses.
HOUSE COMMITTEE
 HOLDS HEARINGS
General March Electrifies Repre-. sentatives by Declaring 4yOOO,- 900 Men Can Win War
 in 1919.

Washington, Aug. 19.-Congress prepared today to enact quickly the new manpower legislation, extending the draft age limits to IS and 45 years. for the American military pro. gram which General March, chief of staff, told the House military com mitte should win the war in 1919.
 While the house committee began work on the bill by hearing General March Secretary Baker and Provost Marshal General Crowder, the senate set its summer vacation again in or der to take up the measure Thursday.
 Lay Aside Prohibition Bill.
 It appeared probable that the bill would be debated simultaneously in the senate and house the last of this week and passed soon thereafter, Sen ate prohibition advocates agreed to temporarily lay asdie the national prohibition bill and give the man. power program the right of wap.
 Before the house committee, Secre-- tary Baker and his aides again urged action on the bill, discussing various phases of the enlarged program which calls for an army of nearly four mil lion Americans in rFance by June 30, 1910, with another million in training in this country.
 Predicting that the war will be won or lost on the western front, re- gardless of what happens elsewhere, General March told the committee that ith 80 trained American divis- ions of about 45,000 men each in France under an American command CT, victory ought to rest on American arms next year.
 Would End War Next Year.
 Reiterating his belief that such a force could go through the German lines at will, General March went fur ther and electdified the committeeman by declaring such force "should bring the war to successful conclu- sion in 1919."
 To exert this Ameriian manpower in attained virtory, General March said, every single man between IS and AZ years in class one, would be need ed by next spring. Shipping facilities are assured, he added and mainteance problems have been considered in the program.
 0uSkCStlOIS CIldC Cilc C,UUV,OVV my prograf would exhaust Americas manpower were laughingly denied by General March, but he joined Secre- tary Baker in explaining that it rep resents Americas maximum effort for the present.
 Provides Three Classes.
 Plans for calling new registrants 1oSI hVy retary Baker, provide for three class es. probably to be called in order those between 19 and 37 years of age, those between 37 and 45 and those between IS and 19.
 Mir. Baker did net object to separ- ate Justification of 1S-pear-old youths but he and General March said all eli gibles probably would be called out not later than next spring.
 The secretary told the committee that his previous statement of the de- partment's intention to liberalize the draft regulations in dealing with the older men to be made subject to call had been misconstrued.
 He said there was no intention to exempt married men as class and that married men who do not support their wives or are not engaged in use- full occupations would be called as thev now are.
 Discussino the 'wcrk' or fight" am- endment of Senator Thomas of Cobra do. to the senate bill Secretary Baker said it "seems entirely consistent" with the present regulations and it unobjectionable.
 He said it does not provide for con- scription of labor contended by rep- resentatives of organized labor, but merely would be declaration by congress fthe "work or fight" prin- ciple already put into effect by the draft regulations.
 To Hear Labor's Objections.
 Secretary Morrison of the Ameri- can Federation of Labor appeared in opposition to the amendment and it was arranged to hear his and other labor representative tomorrow.
 Chairman Dent said tonight that he hoped to report the measure Wednes- day or Thursday probably with am- endments.
 If sentiment in the committee for profisions specifying the order of classes to he called and specifically de- fer calls for IS year old boys are adopted, Representative Kahn of Cali fornia, ranking Republican members plans a minority report in favor of the administration plan.
 General Crowder told the commit tee that men now in class one would be exhausted after the September call and urged speedy action on the bill to provide sufficient men for future calls. altho General March x said he thought there would be enough men to last until November without the new legislation. By January 1, Gener- al Crowder said, he hoped to complete classifying the nation."
 Notwithstanding the fact that the Ti0ars have mt arrivod anuu,horo H.; ;s