The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-05
e. S. Was Ready To Increase
Force to 7,131,172 in 1919.
CrOwder Tells Congress There
Were 2,34O,OOO in Glass 1.
KANSAS men PHYSICALLY FIT
High Records Come From Mid
die West in Draft.
Oklahoma LeadS-KanSaS Men
Showed Up at Top.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE United
States was ready to increase its fight-
ing force to 7,131,172 men during
1919, if the war had continued. Pro-
vost Marshal General Crowder today
stated in his annual report to con-
gress.
A reserve of 2,340,000 class 1 men
was waiting to be mobilized when the
armistice was signed. the report stated,
the armed strength of the nation then
being 4,791,172 men. When war was
declared the armed strength was 37Ss-i
619 men.
form were raised thru the draft, Crow
der stated. the total number inducted
during the war being 2.S10,296. Every
one was taken from class 1.
is Per Cent in Service.
Only Is per cent of the men of nili-
tary age, Is to 45, were in the service,
the report stated while England con-
fighters.
In all 24.234,021 men were register-
ed by the great draft system for mili-
tary service.
Seven per cent was the maximum
percentage of men taken from any one
Industry
Farmers Treated Best.
than any other workers, SO per cent
of those registered being granted de-
ferred classification. Comparatively
few married men were taken, the rec
ords showing that SO per cent of them
were deferred.
Physically, the nation is 70 per cent
perfect. according to the draft ex-
aminers. This is the percentage OF
the men found fit. This does not i'm
clude the limited service men or those
whose defects could be remedied.
Kansas Was Third.
The highest percentages of physical
fitness come from the middle west.
Oklahoma led the nation with 81 per
cent, closely followed by Arkansas,
Kansas, Nebraska, wyoming, Texas.
and North Dakota Rhode Island and
Arizona show the largest percentages
Massachusetts, Vermont. New York
and Washington close. Rhode Island
had only SO per cent fit and New
Y York 60 per cent.
Liquor was the smallest factor in
causing physical reflections, the per-
centage being only one-tenth of one
per cent. Heart troubles, eyes. tuber-.
culosis and mental defects brought the
largest number of rejections. each
claiming more than 10 per cent of the
total disqualified. Flat feet took only
1.3 per cent.
Work or Fight Order.
General Crowder's. work or fight
order forced 10000 men either into
the army or useful work and his drive
on the Stacker marriages added 123,-
900 men to class 1. Fifteen thousand
walters alone changed their work, as
did 1900 clerical workers. More
than 295, 1000 are still classed as desert
ers by the provost marshal general s
office having failed to answer calls or
register. About $1,000 have been ap-
pretended. Eight thousand convicts
or ex-prisoners were inducted and
their records show they have made
, fine fighting men,
General Crowder closes his report
with a tribute to all who helped make
the draft a success The total cost of
the draft was only $16,000,o00 and
General Crowder had S3S,000.000 in
appropriations waiting to go back to
the treasury. The per capita cost of
the inducements were $6.52 as COM
| pared with S217 in the sos. The cost
of enlisting volunteer was $2S.95
during the operation of the draft