The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-09-09
U. s. INSCRIPTION
AUTHORIZED BY ACT
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him a little; then Hayden: was called
upon. He made an enthusiastic
speech on behalf of the reserve bat
talon" idea, ignoring the cohscription
feature in 1t. That closed the debate.
The amendment was put to- vote and
carried viva voce. When the bill went
to the conference committee. where
meetings are sacret and without off,
cial record, the word "called" was
changed to "drafted"
But When Messrs Hay and Cham
ber1ain reported to their respective
houses the full text Of the compro-
mise bill, neither thought to mention
the existence of the draft clause. The
unwritten law is that the conference
committee is bound fully to inform
both branches of congress of all sig
n1flcant changes made in a bill in
committee. This was not done. Only
by luck or the greatest inlustrv on
the part of the individual senator and
congressman could the existence of
this Joker" have been discovered.
The thing was buried in the middle of
Section 70, the title of which, Re
serve Battalions for Recruit Training. -
indicated a technical and wholly inno-
cent provision. There is, as we hap
pen to know, the greatest indignation
in both the house and the senate at
the lack of candor displayed by the
two men responsible for putting the
thing through. Section 70 could never
have passed either house had it's real
character been understood.
It may be suggested that the house
should have grasped the CONSUMPTION
character of the amendment from the
presence OF the word "called." But
the word "called" is associated with
the idea Of volunteers. In time OF
war, when enlistments fall off, the
President issues a fresh "call for vol
unteers." 1t is a stereotyped phrase
Furthermore. on the very next day
when the house was still DISCUSSING
the Hay bill and Representative Mil.
Ter OF Minnesota was trying to see ii
the language regarding the "draftine
Of the national guard couldn't be
softened somewhat by providing that
the national guard should be cor.
dered" or 'called" to the colors in
time of war, Chairman Hay insisted
that called" didn't lean the same as
drafted"
Mr.. Miller: Couldn't we substitute
the words "call into the s. rvice of the
United States''?
Mr.: Hay: There would be the same
trouble with that language"
Mr.. Cannon: "Why the same
trouble? Why not amend it so that
it would read: "He shall call BY pro-
clamation into the military service OF
the United States insteat. of He
shall draft into the military service OF
the United States.'"?
Mr.. Hay: 1.-THE trouble about that =
that it is the nature Of the troops we
are dealir with. Now, h~ can call
the volunteers into the service of the
United States, but this language is
necessary in order that they may
cease to be militia
But If the word "called" disarmed
or misled the house, Mr.. Hay knew
what was intended by that language
for in conference committee as we
have said. the word "called' was
changed to drafted" and the con-
scription character of the section was
clinched. $50. >~~'->~--.~~: ~--'.
Mr.. Hayden frankly says that he
believes IN consumption in time of
war and has no apologies to make
for Section 70. 1T Is modelled upon. a
provision in the Arizona statutes" he
says, land it is only common sense
and common justice" Mr.. Hay, when
taxed in the house the other day. by
Huddleston Of Alabama with having
been disin@enuous, declared holly that
nothing was put over" on the house,
that the word ''called'' plainly indi-
Gated the draft" idea-the exact re-
versal it will be noted, of his previous
position-and that anyway trs draft"
was inevitable In war and that con-
gross should recognize the fact and
give the military authorities the power
they need.
But neither congress nor the coun-
try is prepared to yield the power of
the draft" to the military authorities
even in time of war without the full
est consideration of the step. AS the
New Republic puts it, 1.-THE blood tax
Of CONSUMPTION is the most serious in
strument of government ever invent
ed" Congress will give the President
all the power he needs in time of
war, but Congress will not knowingly
abandon the volunteer principle in ad-
vance of any emergency.
1t may be argued that the draft is
a modern military necessity as evil
denced (a) by the great war in
Europe and co. by our own expert
ence in the Civil war, and (c) that
of the Confederacy.
(a) But England's experience in the
great war proves nothing of the sort.
The official figures given out last
May when the compulsory service act
went into effect showed that Englan
had raised 100000 by the volunteer
system and that there remained only
100000 available in England, Scotland
and Wales of military age to the "con-
scripted." (See N. Y. Times, May 8,
1850
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