The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-01-12
JOKER FOUND IN
ARMY DRAFT BILL
POOR TEAMWORK DISPLAYED
BETWEEN PRESIDENT AND
WAR SECRETARY.
PROMISES TO REPEAL
Wilson Describes Measure A. Too
Swceping-Sentiment Against
CONSUMPTION Law.

Washington, Jan. Ga lack of
teamwork between President Wilson
and Secretary of War Newton d. Ba-
ker IL indicated In the publication Of
Circular No. 81, carrying regula tons
covering conscription in time Of war.
These regulations would call into
active service all male citizens be-
tween the ages OF Is and as. They
carry out the provisions in the Hay
Chamberlain law which President
Wilson described during the recent
campaign as much too sweeping IN
it's terms" and for the repeal Of
I which he promised his aid. The con.
scription paragraph is known as the
Hayden Joker" and has been de-
scribed by Representative Huddles-
ton, of Alabama, as the biggest sec
ret In official Washington" II was
passed without debate or discussion.
and without the knowledge even of
the members OF the Military Affairs
Committee. which supposedly drew
the bill
When President Wilson's attention
was called tn this paragraph of the
law during the campaign, he express
great surprise and Secretary Tumul-
~ was directed to prepare n form
letter in which the Presidents dis
approval was expressed. Further III"
President gave personal assurances to
many people that he would see that
Che joker was repealed at this ses-
sion of Congress. Representative
Huddleston has introduced the re-
pealing bill and Representative Dent,
chairman OF the Military Committee
has indicated his willingness to CO.
operate In securing the repeal.
Universal conscription. even In
time of war. is a step which the coun-
try would take only with delibera-
ton. II is inconceivablc that IL
should be adopted without a word OF
discussion.
Clique Wants Draft.
The regular army clique in the
War Department are,of course, strong
for IL. The more nearly our army
can be made to resemble that of Ger
many the better pleased they are.
CONSUMPTION. even tho limited to war
time. is "a step In what they consider
the right direction.
Circular No. 81. which bears the
approval of Secretary Baker, carries
the date of November 3, but for some
reason II was not promulgated as a
general order until December rs. II
puts into general orders the provis-
ions of section 79 of the Hay-Cham-
berlain law, which provides for tire
formation OF reserve organizations
to fill gaps in the regular organiza-
tions.
The orders say that, IF for any
reason there shall not be enough re-
servists or enough voluntary enlist
ments to organize or to keep the re-
serve batallions at the prescribed
strength. Il sufficient number of the
unorganized militia shall be drafted
by the President into the service OF
the United States TO maintain such
battalion or other lesser reserve unit
at the prescribed strength. The OBJ
lect of such reserve battaiions or 9th
l.. Ia 10 ~. rn m ~.
cruits and to replace losses or to I'LL
vacancies in active organizations"
The "unorganized militia" here re-
ferred TO are all male citizens be-
tween the ages OF IS and As. Any
body, and everybody can be grabbed
as In Russia or Prussia, and sent to
the front.
Draft Riots" Follow.
England hesitated long before re-
sorting to the draft. Official reports
show that 100000 men were rails
cd by the volunteer method, and that
when CONSUMPTION finally was resort
ed TO. there were only 100000 avail
able men left to be conscripted.
During the Civil War practically all
the fighting men on both sides were
volunteers. or the 2,S6s,i32 Fed
eral enlistments just 10000 were
added TO the ranks by the draft. But
the memory of the draft riots" in !
many OF the principal cities Of the