The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-01-08
WASHINGTON NEWS =
GOSSIP ~ szzzzzs ss55zs sz55z:

WASHINGTON, Jan. S.-what Sec.
retary of War Newton D. Baker calls
selective CONSUMPTION" is provided
Tor In the bill urged by Senator George
". Chamberlain now the subject OF
hearings before the Senate committee
On military affairs.
Under this proposed law every male
citizen between the ages of is and
81, VINO could not get especially ex-
ctised, would have to mobilize at the
call OF the President and every male
citizen OF these ages would be colnpall.
ed to take military training-a mini.
mum Of twenty days a year FOR SIX
saars
The "selctive" feature is contain.
ed In the paragraphs which provide
excuses. II one is q sailor he need
not take training; or a school teacher
or . Quaker or near.sighted or GRIP.
pie. or il one can present certificate
from the family doctor that training
would be bad for the heart-all .nese
tend To modify the universal" char
acter OF the requirement. Those left
when these tests had let out the ex-
ceptiI MS, would number about $780,.
900 Fhis is what the General Staff
estimate in their appeal for law :e.
curing full year of intensive c'iii.
tsfy training.
As a matter OF fact, neither :iie
training nor the service would be uni.
4 yersal by about five exceptions to one
selected, But the one selected by the
military authorities would have to
Z serve. That is where the new law
would differ from the present yolun,
teer plan.
Section q provides that: "The Pres
ident is authorized to mobilize the
citizen army and navy, in time of war.
or threatened war, Instruction or re.
bellion or when the public safety de.
mands it,
The "citizen army" above referred
TO, s'all males between Is and 20 who
have taken the military training pro.
Fided Ior-"all" who cannot get ex.
clsed.
There are three bills awaiting the
the attention of congress. The Cham
beriain bill with its "selective con-
scriptionp plan, with other features
providing for training school boys from
A years up; the so.called Moseley
bill, drawn for the National Security
League by Captain George Van Horn
Moseley; and tho bill now being per.
fscted by the General Staff and the
Army War college.
The Moseley bill is modelled on the
German plan. 1t would make military
service compulsory and require six
months training every year for a
period OF years. The General Staff's
billwould also make military training
universal and compulsory and would
require year IN barracks. This bill
follows closely the provisions OF the
German system.
The Senate committee Is listening
10 arguments on all sides OF the army
problem Most of the speakers, how.
ever are professionals in the mill.
terry line who frankly favor conscrip.
don in place Of the volunteer plan,
and universal training with minimum
d exceptions.
The senatorial courtesy ring in the
Senate has won its fight with Presi.
dent Wilson by preventing the con.
drInation OF George Rublee as mem.
Der OF the Federal Trade Commission.
The President did not renew the Rub.
lee appointment this session. The obly
objection to Rublee s7as the fact that
ae had campaigned IN New Hampshire
against "old Doc Gall.nger."
Political endorsements will be use.
less to get appointments on the direc.
Eorates of the Farm Loan Board banks
now being organized. This has been
Dfficially announced by the hoard The
value Of the bonds and the ability Of
The banks to command public conf
ience REQUIRE that they be organized
~ business basis.