Evening star., 1941-09-04
New Draft Of Men
Between 18 and 40
Planned in Britain
Drastic Revision of
Reserved Occupations
Believed Likely
BY HELEN KIRKPATRICK,
War Correspondent of the Star and
Chicago Daily News,

War Correspondent of the Star and
Chicago Daily News.
LONDON, Sept. 4.-Vital new de-
cisions on war strategy and the
necessity for again increasing the
size of the British army will result
IN big draft of men between the
ages of 18 and 40, most of whom are
now in reserved occupations.
The list of reserved occupations
issued at the beginning of the war
has been twice revised already and
the third revision, which is now be-
ing undertaken, Is likely to be dras-
bic. In some occupations now men
are not liable to be called up if they
are 80 or over. The age is higher
In some jobs but rarely lower.
The new revision will affect. ev-
cry industry. The age in which a
mans job is reserved will be raised
by five years in each occupation but
in order not to threaten efficiency in
some cases the reserved age will
only be raised every two or three
months.
Although the suggestion has been
made in some quarters that several
million will be called up under the
new draft scheme, it is probable
that the army demand is under
100000.
The London Daily Herald de-
scribes the demand as arising "out
OF war developments on the Rus
sian front" Experts are inclined
30 broaden this Interpretation to
include the Near and Middle East.
Other Fronts Seen Probable.
With the probability that the
German War will be begged
down for the winter and turned
into trench warfare, it is assumed
here that the Germans will seek
other fronts on which to fight.
There are four possible fronts:
The first is an invaded Great
Britain and, while invasion would
not be utterly impossible during
the winter months, it would be SO
difficult and the odds so against
the invaders that it is not viewed
as probable.
The second and nkelier is the
Libyan front where the Germans
may attempt to drive through Egypt
to Suez. The British position there
undoubtedly is much better than
1t was in the spring when they
were driven out of Libya. Some
regard the position theer as good
enough to warrant a new British
attack.
The third possibility for a Ger
man offensive is through Turkey
In an attempt to strike at the
British in Iran and Iraq, and later
10 join up with a drive from Libya
10 Suez. This is considered the
Akeiest Of possible attempts.
, But the fourth possibility is not
d. dtseounted-an attack on Gibraltar
from Spain. There has been no
evidence that German infiltration
! tn Spain has declined lately or
that plans for an attack on Gibral-
tar have been altered.
! Medical Standard Relaxed.
! Any of. these four offensives
j would, of course, be more possible if
the Russians were eliminated, so no
matter what the British reading of
the Russian war is, they must be
prepared for any contingency. These
considerations undoubtedly are be-
hind the tightening up of the man
power scheme and plans for a fur
ther army draft.
Additional man power for the
armed services has been found in
the relaxation of medical standards
IN order to make available men for
maintenance and other work which
does not require the high stand
ard set for front-line fighting. One
man who was turned down last year
because he was classified as grade :
was passed this year as grade l.
From the present reading of the
wars likely course, there will be few
men under so in Britain who, by the
end of the war, have not been draft
ed into the fighting services or mu-
nitions production, and the majority
of the women under 40 also will be
serving in some capacity or other.
copyright, 1941, by Chicago Daily News.