Evening journal., 1918-08-20
March SAYS We
CAN Win IN 1919
Predicts New Draft Will Put
Victorious American Army
on Western Front
TO CALL BOYS
OF Is YEARS LAST


II 600 American soldiers lighting on the
a Western front next year, embracing
C divisions TO be obtained by increasing
e the draft ages the war can be won in
y 1919, asserted General Peyton G.. March,
r Chief Of STAFF. testifying before the
d House Military Affairs Committee on
{ the Administration new man-power
II bill
In making this statement, at The con-
cluslon OF his review Of the situation
facing the warning nations, General
, March said that, while IL was the in
! tenton Of the government to delay taxi
ing boys OF IS and 10 as long as posi-
Bile. the country should not have any
false idea as TO the purpose Of the mil
itary authorities TO increase the army
TO nnety-eight divisions as speedily
! as possible and have eighty divisions
overseas by the end Of next June. HeI
said that as IL would be necessary to
give the men who would come under
the next draft at least from four TO six
months training here, the youths be-
tween is and 40 would be inducted into
service almost at the same time as those
Of more mature ages.
4 In defining the war policies Of the
NAAAEu HUNtASs AftiAtl a. 1l0lNAA Edlu AlAdA
1 the war would be won or lost on the
Western front. lie stressed the point
that il was imperative TO have an army |
Of ninety-eight divisions by June 30
next and transport the number neces-
sary TO increase our overseas force to
eighty divisions.
The efforts OF the allied powers, and
| the United States, General March said
would be confined to actual lighting on
the western front, where the war would
be won or lost, without taking into
consideration conditions in Russia.
General March defined some OF the
policies OF the War Department in con-
nection with the new draft bill
NO nation has men in the army OF
an age lower than IS. except perhaps.
Germany" said General March. The
age limit in most countries is 30 years
As a principle | would say that the
maximum Is 30 and the minimum IS,
while we have found that Germany had
some as young as i6 years.
by June 80 1919. we shall need all
the men from Is 10 iJ. We must not s
conclude that the men between rs and
10 are going 10 be deferred any length {
OF time. No committee ought to make &
a law which prevents the War Depart
ment from going into the IS and i9 class S
when necessary
General March said that the strength
OF the army on Aug 4 last was 3,0i2,-
III divided as follows American Ex-
pedltionary Force, exclusive OF Marines,
i.30i,7i2; in the United States and the
insular possessions, i,432706; August
draft, 277,66A.
"Wir you be able TO supply this vast
army to be placed In France by June
neXt2" General March was asked.
I'VE have had a most satisfactory re
port from Mr.. Stettlnius and General
Pershing, showing that the harbor
facilities in France are now in good
shape" said the Chief OF Staff. There
Is no fear from that source, and what
we want is ships. We have the assur-
ance that American shipping will be !,
able TO take care Of all the transporta-
tion by next April"
DO you think that the number OF
men we are asked to supply you with D.
in this bill, together with those now /,
in France. are sufficient TO win the :
war;" asked Mr.. Kahn.
III you put eighty divisions in France
on the western front, we can go through
the German line. That is my firm be-
lief"
Can you give the approximate num-
Der OF men required 10 win the war;"
continued Mr.. Kahn. I,
when Germany started this drive
she was superior in rilemen. The
allied armies are now becoming su-
perior Eighty divisions OF Americans
should be able TO bring the war TO :
successful conclusion in 1919. The war
will be won or lost on the western {
front, without taking into consideration
conditions in Russia
Secretary Of War Baker, who opened !
the hearing, broadly defined the Ad-
ministrations policy respecting the :
men to be drafted under the new Man
Power bill. He said that the registrants
would be divided into three classes.
and that, while the junior class, is to
10 years, would be called into actual
service last. IL would be almost at the
same time as those in the other classes.
Men subject to military service under
the pending bill who had married since
the extension Of the ages had been pro- !
posed, Secretary Baker said, would not
be able 70 avoid military duty because
married. The War Department, he said,
would disregard the marriage as max
ing the registrant eligible for deferred
classification.
Frank Morrison, Secretary OF the s
American Federation of Labor, regis '
tered a protest against the bill on the
ground that through the anti-strlke {
It "conscripted labor"
Secretary Baker declined TO oppose
the anti-strike amendment, which was s
added TO the bill by Senate committee. :
He said there was no objection TO the {
amendment, inasmuch as the War De a
partment was now proceeding under I
regulation in the way il was now pro i
posed which is opposed by organized
labor, reads: n
provided. That when any person h
shall have been placed in deferred or {
exempted class for any Of the reasons {
in this paragraph set forth, he shall not
be entitled to remain there, unless he
shall in good faith continue, while
able so TO do, to work at and
follow such occupation, employment, 1
or business. and. II he fails so TO do. n
he shall again become subject to the \
draft. The President shall make regI- -
lations for enforcing this provision" @
Secretary Lunn, OF Schenectady, n. Y.
who represents labor interests on the
committee, flatly opposed the anti
strike amendment He said he was g
afraid Of II" and urged that H be "
stricken from the bill. He asked Sec .
retary Baker his attitude on the amend q
mont 4.