Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1917 — DRAFT MEASURE PASSES SENATE [ARTICLE]

DRAFT MEASURE PASSES SENATE

Upper House Approves Report by Vote of 65 to 8. PROVISION FOR T. R. ARMY ' \ ■ ■ ' , ■" Americans, 21 to 30, Will Be Called to Colors About September 1— Will Not Hinder Harvest Work. PROVISIONS OF BILL. Washington, May 18.—The chief provisions of the army conscription bill, the conference report on which waa approved by the senate, follow: Raising of aimed forces by the selective draft system, imposed upon all males between the ages of tWenty-ono and thirty years inclusive, subject to registration and certain exemptions from service. Increasing the regular army to maximum wt«i strength. Drafting into federal service of National Guard units. Raising of an initial force by conscription of 500,(MJ0 men, with addition 1 of 500,000 if deemed necessary. Raising, if the president sees fit, of four divisions of volunteer Infantry. (The Roosevelt amendment) Increasing the pay of all enlisted men as follows: Fifteen dollars additional monthly for those now receiving less than s2l, comprising the bulk of the army, graduated downward to $6 additional monthly for those receiving $45 or more. Prohibiting sale of liquor at or near army training camps and otherwise protecting morals of the soldier.

Washington, May 18. —The senate adopted the conference report on the war army bill, accepted by the house, and sent the measure to the president for his signature. The vote was 65 to 8. Those voting against adoption were Senators, Gore. Gronna, Hardwick, Kirby, La Follette, Norris, Stone and Trammell. Senator Fall was excused from voting. The war department w’ili at once set in motion the machinery for registration of all men between twentyone and thirty years of age. The bill does not limit conscription to the duration of the war but this will be stipulated in another measure. The measure will be engrossed and signed by the vice president and speaker of the house tomorrow. It will reach the president tomorrow afternoon. The president will append his signature to the act. Thereby lie will make it a law. Registration Day Holiday. Then the president will issue a proclamation requiring every* male citizen--or declarant of citizenship of conscript age to present himself for registration. The day selected will be made a national holiday and it will be celebrated by the ringing of church and tire bells throughout the land. The president’s proclamation will be the button to start In operation the machinery for registration which has been created by the war department. The regulations governing registration are ready for issuance. Plans have been perfected for the organization boards. Still Accept Volunteers. It is not intended to call a halt on

voluntary enlistments, even after tne draft enters into effect. A spectacular tilt between Senator Stone of Missouri and Senator Hiram Johnson of California over the Harding amendment which provides for the Roosevelt division, marked the closing hour. “This amendment was an outrageous thing,” said Senator Stone. “I am going to talk about it as the Roosevelt amendment because it is Roosevelt’s law. I don’t question Roosevelt’s courage, but I do question his judgment in commanding men—he is unfit” , First Draft in September. In response to a suggestion by Senator Jones of Washington that the new selective draft army help harvest crops, Secretary Baker disclosed that ft is not expected to call out the first 500,000 men before September 1 be-

cause of “the depleted state of our supplies,” and that there will therefore be no “appreciable interference with the labor supply of the country until that date.” Will Not Affect Harvest. After stating that the labor question was receiving, serious attention from all departments, Secretary Baker wrote to Senator Jones : “Owing to the depleted state of our supplies it will not be practicable to call out the first 500,000 men to be raised under the provisions of the bill now pending before congress until about September 1, so there will be no appreciable interference with the labor supply of the country until that date. “When these men are called they will have to be continuously trained with the colors until they are sent abroad. As the period of training before they are sent abroad will be at the best all too short/in justice to the men if must be intensive and continuous.”