The sun., 1917-05-18
NEW ARMY BILL
PASSES SENATE;
DEBATE BITTER
Goes to President To-day
With COnscriptiOn, 81
to 30, a Feature.
ROOSEVELT ATTACKED
Stone VitriOlic, but Hiram
johnson Defends Colonel
Stoutly.
FIRST DRAFT, SEPTEMBER
Lack Of Supplies Will Prevent
Training of First 100000
! Until Then.
ROOSEVELT ATTACKED
FIRST DRAFT, SEPTEMBER

/ WAsHIN0roN, May 17.-Final action
was taken by Congress to-day on the
war army BILL the second OF the major
measures of the war. The Senate. by a
vote OF 6J TO S. adopted the conference
report accepted yesterday by the House.
. Nicc-Presdent Marshall and Speaker
Clark will sign tho bill tomorrow and
send Il to the White House for Prcsi-
dent Wilson's approval. It probably will
be law before tomorrow night.
As finally approved the bill provides
for raising by selectlve conscription a
war army in increments of 100000 men
from Il to 90 years OF age. II also
authorizes. without directing, the Pres-
dent TO raise volunteer forces which Col.
Roosevelt desires TO take to France. and
greatly increases the pay Of all enlisted
men.
| Machinery to register and draft tho
first 100000 men already has been set
up by the War Department. Immedi-
ateiy after the President signs the bill
he Will. by proclamation. designate the
day for registration of the 10000. 900 or
more men of the prescribed age. Regis
lihllpll DOCKS Will ne III the nanQS or
; state and local authorities who are to
cooperate. and BRIG. ten. Crowder. the
Provost Marshal General. expects to
) have his completc lists in Washington
within tive days after registering begins
! IN the last week OF May or the first week
in June. Actual training of the men Will
begin September L
Task of Picking 100000.
Then will come the task OF selecting
the first half million, exempting the
physically unit. those with dependents
and men who are needed on the farms
and m industries The process of selet's>
tion probably Will be completed long
before the men are wanted.
In response 70 a suggestion hy Scra-
tor Jones Of Washington that the new
selective draft army help harvest crops
Secretary Baker to-day disclosed that
it is not expected to call out the arst
500 900 men before September because
OF tho depleted state of our supplies"
and that there will therefore be 10
"appreciabe Interference with the labor
Supply Of the country until that date"
Whether Col. Itooscveli shall be per-
mtted 20 raise an expedition now rests
with President Wilson. HIS views have
not been disclosed, bat it is believed
that he prooably will postpone decision
whilo the cous '~'p.iou system Ia being
put INTO operation
ts during the early stages Of the long
dispute in Congress. ,o-days closing
debate centred upon the so-cailed Roose-
welt amendment. 'ol. Roosevelt was
vigorously attacked by Senator Stone of
Missouri and n ardently defended by
his friend Senator Johnson Of Cali
Of fornia.
The eight Senators who cast the mega
tive votes were: Democrats-l;ore OF
NJ l.. .I4,f IL of
OF Arkansas. stone OF Missouri and
Trammel OF Florida. Rcpub!icans-La
Toilette OF Wisconsin. Gronna Of North
Dakota and NaI:s Of Nebrska.
Chicf Provisions Of Bill.
The bill ba a'iea by the Administration,
was introduced ~ The Senate April -.
WAS passed Ap-.l 2S--in the Senate by
a vote of 81 to = and IN the House 397
TO 24-and has since been tied up IA
conference. Its chief provisions are:
Raising OF armed forces by the
| lcctlvc draft system, imposed upon all
I males between the ages OF 81 and 80
I years. inclusive. subject 70 registratioI
and certain exemptions from service.
( Increasing ,he regular army 10
maximum war strength
Drafting ia;D the Federal service
OF National Guard units.
Raising of an initial force by cor
scrption OF 100000 men. with addition
Of soc, 900 II deemed necessary.
Raising. II the President sees At OF
four divisions OF volunteer infantry
y (The Roosevelt amendmcnt)
Increasing The pay of all enlisted
men as follows Sl5 additional month
! ly for those now receiving less than
, S2l. comprising the bulk OF the army.
graduated downward TO s6 additional
monthly for those receiving s45 or
: more.
Prohibiting sale of liquor at or near
army training camps and otherwise
protecting morals OF the soldier
The question az issue before the Sea-
ate to-day was whether or not the law
as framed was sufficiently specific as to
the duration of the service of the con-
scrpted army. 4 little group OF Senator'S
led by Senator Mcclellan OF Tennessee
thought that they scented in the present
, phrascology Of the bill AN effort TO fssten
: on the United states the practice OF uni
vcrsal military serN ice AS IA permanent
policy,
| McKcllar was assisted in his efforts "a
! delay the bill by Senators Smith. GcorsiaI
Reed, Missouri; la Toilette. Wisconsin,
and Hardwick, Georgia.
Chamberlain Urges Action.
Senator Chamberlain warned the Sen,
ate that II the report was not concurred
in and the variety of questions embodied
In the bill were thrown open to renewed
| discussion In both houses the couscrip.
tion bill could rot become law in thirty,
sixty or even ninety days. His speech
was made in answer to tho MckellaS
charge that the military departments ot
the Government were anxious to develop
universal military service AZ a Federal
policy, and the charge from Senator La
Toilette that the Administration was