The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-04-06
ISSUE
ON ARMY BILL
Senator Vardaman Endan-
gers the Federal
Volunteers
LEW WANTS FORCE
ELIMINATED
He Is Backed by Senator
Lewis of I'LL
nois

Washington, April 6-Senator Varda-
mans injection Of the race issue into the
debate on the military bill has served to
explain to the country the real consid-
Grafton which has nenaced the federal
volunteer feature of the Chamberlain
military bill and may result in its elm
nation. The Mississippi senator has
pointed out that the negro would be free
to join the proposed federal reserve and
that his existence as soldier subject
only to the orders of a central govern
ment would be unpleasing to the South
| For this reason the motion to strike
out section 56 from the bill, with the inn
| piled intention of strengthening the Ma
tional Guard to form second line of
| land defense, is receiving the support OF
senators from states in which the Ma
tional Guard is so weak as to be sub
iect of little military or political impor
lance
Friends of the federal volunteers plan
have learned a lesson from the activity !
of their opponents and are now flooding |
senators with kilograms designated to
impress them with the wisdom of pre-
serving the Plattsburg training camp
idea Senator Chamberlain, in charge of
the BILL received about 40 kilograms yes
terday.
An amendment offered by Senator lee
of Maryland would eliminate the bill
provision for a federal volunteer army.
The proposal was up for final action.
Senator Lee VS. aided in his fight by
Senator Lewis Of Illinois, while Chair
man Chamberlain and members of the
military committee were active in be-
half of the bill az framed Several sena
tors had changed their positions, it was
said
Before recessing late Tuesday the Sen
ate voted down Senator Sterling's
providing that the National
Guard should be called out for service by
the federal government in event of war,
coming first after the regular army in
order OF precedence Senator Clapps
to the federal volunteer pro
vision, providing that federal volunteers
shall receive pay only for the time Of
actual service in training, was adopted.
President Wilson urged several sena
tors yesterday to speed up the army bill.
and Senator Stone told him every effort
would be made to dispose of it as quickly
As possible.
The first amendment offered Yesterday
sas by Senator Sutherland, Republican,
to increase the coast artillery consider
IDLY over the increases proposed by the
r,
kilograms from the Military Training Il
camps association protesting against the n
fort to strike out the federal volunteer "
orces were presented by Chairman a
chamberlain. Il
Tho o1ac,,+i,-o committed yro{ as{aJ ~ "
he name of the 10000 Young men, the i;
Message said who would enroll for milf i
airy training this year. asking nothing Y
or themselves but a chance to serve the -
government. The failure Of the volun- =
ecr plan would not build'up the Nation !,
! Guard, it was said since none of the :
men who would join the volunteers would =
inter- the guard under any circumstances
Senator Hitchcock OF the military com
littee said it was not known whether =
he number of men asked for the regu-l
ar army in the bill could be enlisted
n Is days recruiting under the recent
to increase the army by
0.000 men, he said, 1920 men have been
nlsted.
AS it stands now in the bill the pro-
ision makes for force OF POI 900 fed
raj volunteers to be organized by con
ressiona districts, as was proposed for
he continental army recommended by a
,rmer Secretary Garrison and rejected
Y both the House and Senate commit III
'es. Advocates of the plan say it has III
READY been seriously injured through
loption of the Senate amendment re- II
Iiring a minimum of 80 days training ri
year. 4