Palisadian., 1923-03-09
WAR HEROES ARE
DROPPING out
Official Charts Show Their Places
as Americas Defenders Are
Being Refilled.
YOUNGER men FILL RANKS
A Decade After Their DISCHARGE Only
423,0O0 of the 5000, 900 Men of
Pershino's Army Will Be
Available for Service.

Washington.-Men who shared with
Pershing the great adventure in
France are passing off the stage as
Americas defenders. Official charts
show that their place already is be-
ing taken by the younger brothers Of
the A. E. f. Tomorrow 1t will be their
sons who stand ready to fight for the
flag.
The charts show that of more than
100000 men discharged from the
wartime army up to January 1, 1920,
there will be available in 1925 for
Class l service-and that means bat
tie service, face to face with the foe
little more than 100000 veterans. By
1880, decade after their discharge
In the prime of their fighting power
only 423,OOO will again be ready to
shoulder musket.
Millions trooped to the colors in
the World war, but even the eighteen
year-old youngsters among them will
be men weighted with cares and re-
sponsibilities by 1915.
Heritage for Their Sons.
They will have married or will have
acquired other dependents; they will
be broken with years many will have
died; some will be working at tasks
as essential as soldering, and none
will be left to man the trenches The
bright day of their youth and fighting
powers will be but an hOnored heri-
tage for their sons.
"Of the 3,12S,67O officers and men
examined for discharge to December
1, 1919" says the colorless record of
the War department, "2,931 $50 were
discharged without disability. 1t is
assumed that by 1926, or approx
mately five years after discharge, they
will have attained the status (having
acquired dependents, engaged in es-
sential occupations, incurred disabili-
ties, etc. of average citizens, and
would be available (held for service)
in the same proportion as obtained
with those registered under the last
draft"
Application of the census bureau
death rate, coupled with the knowl-
edge gained of average conditions sur
rounding the age groups involved by
the calling up for examination under
the draft act of millions of citizens,
gives clear vision of what time is
doing to the great body of trained SOL
diers poured back into the country
after the armistice.
Basis of Calculations.
That Is the basis of the War de-
partment calculations as to probable
exemptions, and the basis, too, to the
pressure for filling up the organized
reserves with new blood each year into
an unfailing reservoir of fighting
strength, at least partially ready to an
swer the call to arms.
By age groups the veterans above
thirty-six years in 1918, will have
ceased to exist from military view
point in 1925, and of more than 1885,
600 in the thirty-six-year class some
10000 might still be ready for a call
BY 1890, all those above thirty three
years in 1918 will be gone, and by
1885, all who were above twenty eight
years i'm 1918, will have vanished
from the charts
BY 1910, the youngsters who were
twenty-three years old when 1918
brought them to the colors, will show
a mere $4,000 still ready for active
service. and by 1915, the eighteen-year-
old youths of those days of war could
muster probably only 5,31O veterans of
ST Mihiel and the Argonne to follow
the flag again.