Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1917 — WILSON APPEALS FOR DRAFT LAW [ARTICLE]

WILSON APPEALS FOR DRAFT LAW

President Explains Plan in Letter to Solon. VOLUNTEER PLAN IS FAILURE Majority Hejiort Sent to Senate Assails Volunteer System—Conscriydton Plan Held Necccssary. Washington, April 20. —President) \\ ilson sent a letter to Representative Helvering of Kansas explaining and strongly supporting the tion’s army bill with its selective conscription plan, The letter indicated the purpose of the administration tu insist 'upon enactment of the measure vigorously. It follows: “I welcome the inquiry of your letter of April 19 because 1 have realized the truth of what you say from my own observations, namely, that what Is meant to be understood by the selective draft is not generally understood throughout the country. “The process of the draft is, I think, very clearly set forth in the bill drafted by tho war department and which I so earnestly hope the congress will adopt, but It Is worth while to state the idea wh|ch underlies the bill a little more fully.

“I took occasion the other day in an address to the people of the country to point 6ut the many forms of patriotic service that were open to them and to emphasize the fact that the military part of the service was by no means the only part, and perhaps, all things considered, not the most-vital part. Want Highest Efficiency. “Our object is a mobilization of all the productive and active forces of the nation and their development to the highest point of co-operation and efljciency and the idea of the selective draft is that those should be chosen for service in, the army who can be most readily spared from the prosecution of the other activities which it must devote a great deal of.lts best energy and capacity. “The volunteer system does-not do this. Wien men choose themselves they sometimes choose without due regard to their other responsibilities. Men may come from the farms or from the mines or from the factories or centers of business who ought not to come, hut ought Ip stand back of the armies in the field and see that they get everything that they need and that the people of the country are sustained in the meantime.

Means Service for All.

“The principle of the selective draft. In short, has at its heart this that there is a universal obligation to'servo and that a public authority should choose those upon whom the obligation

or military service snail rest ana also in a sense choose those who shall do the rest of the nation’s work. “The bill if adopted will do more, I believe, than any other single instrumentality to create the impression of universal service in the army and out of it, and if properly administered, will be a great source of stimulation. “Those that feel that we are turning away altogether from the voluntary principle seem to forget that some 600,000 men will be needed to fill the ranks of the regular army and the National Guard and that a very great field of individual enthusiasm lies there wide open.” ■ - Volunteer Plan Assailed. The voluirtedr system was assaile# as uncertain and inadequate and the selective draft was declared to be in recognition of just principles in the majority report written by Chairman Chamberlain of the military committee; and submitted to the senate on the administration bill. “This is no time to tolerate uncertainty in the raising and the maintenance of the large numbers of men which the present emergency is likely to require nor uncertainty in the methods to be adopted for the establishment of an adequate, efficient military service.” says the report. “The bill makes certain the raising and maintenance of the required forces with the utmost expedition. It establishes the principle that all arms-bear-ing citizens owe to the nation the duty of defending it. Recognized by World. After calling attention to the fact that the selective draft has been recognized by “a world in arms” as the “only adequate and effectual” method • of raising an army, the report says the bill provides thorough means of recruiting the regular army and the National Guard, for absorbing more than 600.000 volunteers. “Thus happily,” it says, “the bill, while establishing and placing the national dependence upon the almost universally approved system of draft, at the same time accommodates itself to such -volunteer spirit as exists and is available in the early days of the war.” Wilsbn Firm for Draft. President Wilson was still determined that the selective draft plan should prevail, and it seemed probably' that, if necessary, he would appeal direct to the people on the ground that the nation’s safety depends on prompt enactment of the general staff bilL Preparing to lead the fight in the house for the administration bill. Representative Kahn, ranking Republican of the military! committee, conferred with Secretary Baker.