The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-05-01
T.. s. ARMY TO BE SELECTED
BY DRAFT BILL VOTE 319-2f
Fight in Congress Definitely Won
After Days of Hottest Kind OF De-.
ate-Single Men Between the Ages
of 2I and 40 Years to BE Flrst Caii.
ed to COlOrS.


can army in the war against Germany
will be raised by conscription.
The fight in congress for the ad-
ministrations selective draft measure
was won tonight after days OF the not
test kind of debate when the mouse
passed the bill by a vote of 397 to q,
One voted present. The bill, in some
what different form, was passed latel,
by che senate. the vote beng 81 % o.
The senate then recessed until the
house bill was sent over. Upon It's
receipt in the senate, the bill was re-
ferred Immediately to the senate MILL
tary affairs committee, where the sen
ate bill was substituted for it. Both
houses then adjourned.
AS passed, the house bill Wouie
draft single men between the ages OF
21 and 40 years, with the president
having authority to designate Wnlcn
ages shall be called to the colors nrst.
The senate measure would conscrlpt
single men between q and II years
inclusive. This difference IN the pro-
visions will make it necessary for the
measure to be sent to joint con-
ference of house and senate members
where the ages prescribed may De-
altered altogether. 1t appears certain
tonight, however, that the senate ages
would finally be adopted, with q
modifying clause leaving to the DIS
cretion of the presidnet as to wnat
ages shall be called upon to form tne
first big army.
Raise Pay.
Provisions were struck out and In
serted in the bill in rapid action IN
the house. BY unanimous vote an
amendment was included in the mousse
Hill to- increase the pay OF enlisted
men and non-commissioned officers, IN
4he army and in the national guard,
hv Ga a month, making the pay OF en-
listed men 5000 a month. This Woulo
add about s2O,00o,000 to the army ana
national guard pay roll monthly, II an
army of 100000 men is raised.
The house also struck all approx
nriation provisions of the draft blii
on the recommendation OF Chairman
FITZGERALD of the house appropHa-
tons committee. Representative Fltz-
eerald said the bill, which would
have appropriated $3,70O,00o,OOO Tor
the army contained $761, 100000 more
than necessary. The appropriations
committee, he said, would be ready
ON Monday to report to the house q
corrected bill containing the proper
annropriations, about S2,950,OoO,OOo.
The house then, sitting as commie-
tee of the whole, voted to insert tne
selective draft provision into the
army bill. by vote of 31S to l0S.
The final passage of the measure
was thus rendered certain.
= With only slight discussion, the
house without a roll call, adopted an
amendment by Representative Lever
exempting all persons engaged IN
raising food and other articles neeo,
ed in the war from the provisions OK
the bill.
In the senate the discussion was
on,v perfunctory. BY a vote OF % TO-
~ an amendment introduced py
senator Harding, was passed, when
wonId permit Col Theodore Roosevelt
TO raise an army division OF infantry
1o,nnteers for immediate service II
France. Three other divisions would
be permitted. The senate also adopted
an amendment by Senator Fall calling
for the raising of three volunteer reg-
ments of cavalry for patroling the
Mexican border The vote was 53 70
25.
On Record.
The senate went on record early LII
the night in favor Of the selectlve
draft in preference to the volunteer
system. BY vote of SO to >,1S. the
NcKellar amendment, providing for a
trial of the volunteer system before
resorting to conscription, was defeat
ed. The senator's favoring the VOL
unteer plan were: Borah, Cummings,
curtis. Fall, Gallinger, Gore, Gronna,
Hardwick. Johnson, Of California;
7 Kirby, LaFollette, McKellar, Norris,
Reed, Sherman, Thomas, Trammell.
and Vardaman.