Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1918 — MAY RAISE DRAFT AGE [ARTICLE]

MAY RAISE DRAFT AGE

War Department t% Ask Congress to Make it 18 to 49. s " Crowder Favors Exemption of Ball Players—M’Adoo Would Release Rail and Mine Workers. Washington, June 14.—Prospective extension of the draft age to include practically all the able-bodied men of the country and proposed changes in the existing conscription regulations came to the fore. The important developments were: Representative Kahn, ranking Republican member .of the house committee on military-affairs, stated that the war department intends to present to congress at the winter session an amendment to the selective (fEaft law making the draft age eighteen to forty-' nine years. Secretary of War Baker said the department does not contemplate this move now, but would not commit himself as to the future. Senator Smith of Michigan, member of the committee on foreign relations, asserted that by virtue either of the effect of the pending draft treaty with Great Britain or an alleged secret agreement among the allies the American draft age is to be fixed soon at eighteen to forty-nine years. Senator Hitchcock, chairman of the committee on foreign relations, disclosed the Intention of the administration to prociire the amendment of the draft law so as to exempt from military service aliens who have taken out first American citizenship papers. Provost Marshal General Crowder reached a decision to recommend to the secretary of war the exemption of professional baseball players from the operation of the “work or figlU” order during the remainder of the baseball season. Director General McAdoo requested the provost marshal general to exempt all railroad men of draft age, and the coal mine operators of the country made a similar-appeal applicable to miners. The professional baseball players of draft age will riot be required to “work or fight” till next winter if Secretary Baker, and eventually President Wilson, approve General Crowder’s recommendation of temporary exemption.