Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 May 1917 — VITAL DILLS AWAIT ACTION [ARTICLE]

VITAL DILLS AWAIT ACTION

Age Limit Compromise Is Only Barrier to Draft Bill. Washington, D. C., May 6. — Numerous war measures will be perfected or passed this week by congress. The list to be acted on includes the army draft, war revenue, food control and espionage measures, the annual army appropriation bill, the rivers’and harbors bill and the bill authorizing the President to put seized German merchant ships into service. Conferees on the war army bill are expected to make their report in a day or two. With conscription assured, interest in the bill centers on the age limit compromise which is expected to be either 21 and 30 or 21 and 35, and the senate provision which would permit Colonel Roosevelt to organize a force for service in France. The house is expected to agree to a compromise on the age limit, but there will be a strong fight against the Roosevelt proposal, should it be agreed to by house conferees. Work on the food control bill will be continued by the senate agricultural committee but it is doubtful if the measure will be reported before the house acts on the Beaver bill, already introduced. Conferees on the war army bill in a four-hour discussion Monday failed to reconcile differences between the bill as it passed the two houses and adjourned until yesterday noon. A decided difference of opinion arose over the senate amendment, which would permit Colonel Roosevelt to take an expeditionary force to France, and unless it is smoothed out the bill may have to go back to the two houses for further action. Other points of difference included the prohibition amendment inserted by the senate and the age limits of men subject to the selective draft. The senate bill fixes the limit between 21 and 27, and the house between 21 and 4G. . '