The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-27
SENATE PASSES BILL
FOR DRAFT OF MILITIA

washington, June Eb.--Ine senate
passed tonight the House resolution
authorizing the President to draft the
lsNational Guard into the Federal SER
Ivlce for period not exceeding three
years. The debate lasted seven hours
land was acrimonious.
The committee struck out the House
provision providing a payment of not
more than $50 n month for the sup
port of dependent families of guards
men. and substituted a provision that
heads of dependent families could be
discharged If they requested it. The
! debate was over this substitute.
The vote was As to 80 Those who
voted against the substitute were:
MISUNDERSTANDING, Cul erson.
Hitchcock. Husting. James, johnson
(Maine), johnson {South Dakota).
Kern, Lane, Lee (Maryland). Lewis,
MARITIME, Myers, Phelan. Pittman,
Pomerene Rsed, Shafroth, Smith
1Georgia), Taggart. Thompson and
Walsh.
neutrality-suspicious., Cummin s.
Gronna, Kenyon, Lafollette, Morris,
Poindexter, Sherman. Total, g.
The resolution was further amend
ed at the instance of Senator Clarke,
of Wyoming, Republican, by striking
out the declaration that Sin the opin-
ion of Congress, an emergency ex-
lists"
The debate ended in a sensational
speech by Senator Sherman, of ILL.,
nois, In support of an amendment, de-
claring that 'in the opinion of Con-
gress, a state of war exists between
the government OF United States and
the de facto government of the Re-
public OF Mexico"
He said
II am tired of listening to mere
words, emergency is more euphonious
than war In some ears. What Is Con-
gress here for? We have declared
everything except that which ought
TO be declared.
Il. for one, am tired OF this inane
policy; this system of 'watchful wait
ing, this sendinfg of mysterious mis-
sions to Mexico by unknown dipio-
SnatiC representatives. We have sent
missions to villa, to C1ranza, and we
sent one to Huerta, IL tell him that
he, in his own country. was persona
non grata to us. The President in
>one of his addresses said he got in
formation from members OF the An
anfas Club. From his conduct 1t seems
that he must have received It from
such source"
Senator Sherman recalled that
three months ago he had introduced
a resolution authorizing the President
to call out $4,000 troops for use on
the border That resolution has
slumbered in committee. He con-
tinued:
Haven't a Horseslhoew.
Three months would have been a
good time IN which to prepare and
equip these militia. Pershing's case
would not be so desperate. Today We
find that the State militia is not sup
piled with arms or ammunition. They
have not even horseshoers for their
rayalry There is a regiment OF cay
airy in my state ready to leave and
they cannot even find horse
sheer.
There has been three months OF
lost time. To-day If we had to push
an expedition across the border. there
is not man fit for the task hut the
regular army
Mr. Sherman told how private
citizens Of Chicago made a suhscrip.
ton to buy machine guns for the Ma
ional Guard. only to find that not
gun could be bought as the factories
we're making them 10 send to Europe
You can't take them over. either.
unless you declare war" he exciaim-
ed. This Is the result of 'watchful
waiting. this is your boasted pre-
paredness.' This Is the way We have
muddled things through; we have al
ways done It. and / suppose we al
ways shall II is worse than a crime
to have wasted these three long
months. Here we are. walking IN
fools paradise, hoping that some
thing will harpen to take us out of
our trouble -
Mr.. Sherman's amendment was
tabled without - yea and nay vote.
Senator Stone charged that Mr..
sherman. still hearing the ring OF his
ears of the huzzas when his name was
feebly mentioned in the Republican
kconvention," had seized the oppor-
tunity to make a political speech.