The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-09-09
j. S. C0NSCR|P
AUTHORIZED BY ACT
- - Joker" In "National Defense"
o. ,c~ Provides For Draft In
eee Of War.
,J$
NON-MILITARY UNION
RECOMMENDS REPEAL
Fluke In Measure Was Not
Noticed By Most Members
Of Congress.

When President Wilson signed on
June the so-called National defense
act," sometimes called the Hay-Cham-
berlain act, he signed law which pro-
vides. in time of war, for the conscrip-
ton of American citizens between the
ages Of IS and As.
He didn't realize it at the time. At
least there is every reason tothink
that he didn't. Certainly very few Of
the congressman and senators who
voted for the army reorganization law,
knew that there was general con-
scription clause in it, slipped into the
law by Hayden of Arizona, clinched in
conference committee by Hay and
Chamberlain and unWittingly adopted
by both houses.
The American Union against militar-
ism has been endeavoring for the last
six weeks to persuade the administra-
ton leaders frankly to recognize the
legislative fluke, which has occurred,
and to get behind an act for the repeal
of the obnoxious clause. if not at this
session, at least at the short session
which opens in December. The time
has come to acquaint the country
with the facts. Bills will be intro
duced for the repeal of the objection
able clause. These bills keep their
legislative status at the next session.
Now is the time to pledge your sena-
tors and your congressman to the
prompt repeal Of the clause when
congress meets next December.
When the Hay bill was reported out
to the house by the military affairs
committee, it contained no provisions
whatever for conscription, unless the
technical provision permitting the
President to ''draft' the national
guard into the federal service in time
Of war be- 50 considered But on We'd
nesday, March %, Chairman Hay pre-
sented a COMMITTEE amendment"
which had been drafted, he said, by
Hayden of Arizona. This amendment
provided for the establishment of "re-
serve battaliops'' in time Of war.
~'- - - -, Reserve Battalion. --
The Preserve battalion is an Eng
lish idea. When a regiment is sent to
the front, to be cut to pieces under
fire, a reserve battalion" is estab-
lished at the home depot to secure re-
cruits, train them and feed them to
that particular regiment at the front
dS Idp1uly DIS IICy dl 1ACCNOOs "A
sensible. scheme and in marked con-
trast with the American plan which
has been to form all the new recruits
into new regiments, regardless of how
badly cut. to pieces the older regi-
ments en- the firing line may be. When
the veteran regiments in the Civil
war were reduced to three and four
hundred men, the practice was to
consolidate several regiments, produc-
ing vast confusion in regimental rec
ords and no end Of jealousy and fric-
ton among the officers. Hayden's
amendment would abolish all that
But down in the middle of the Sec
ton was the following clause:
IF for any reason there shall not
be enough volunteer enlistments
to keep the reserve battalions at
the prescribed strength, suffi-
cient number of unorganized mill
tia shall be called into the serv-
ice Of the United States to MAIN
tain each of such battalions at
the proper strength"
The "unorganized militia" means all
male citizens with certain specified ex-
emptions between the ages Of 1S and
As. The whole section was read in
the usual singsong by the clerk. Mr..
Hay made a somewhat indefinite ex-
planation of the reserve battalion
idea; Minority Leader. Mann quizzed