The Washington herald., 1917-04-27
HOUSE DEBATES DRAFT
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ments at / o'clock tomorrow afternoon
In the course of this piece-meal con-
sideratlon OF the measure. speeches will
be limited to ten-minutes by the pro-
ponents OF the amendments and five min
utes for replies. The Senate viii vote
upon the bill itself not later than mid
night tomorrow.
No Limit Set.
The debate agreement In the House of
Representatives provided that no limit
should be put upon the members at yes
terday's session and that last night
every one who desired to speak might in
dulge himself and his hearers through
out the night. But with the convening
of the House at noon today Represent
ative Kahn will close the debate in favor
OF conscription and Chairman Dent. of
close the argument IN favor OF the vol
unteer method
Immediately these two speeches have
been delivered the House In Committee
OF the Whole House on the State of the
Union will begin the debate on the spe-
cific terms Of the measure. This debate
will be conducted under the five-Inlnute
rule and in the course Of this debate
the changes which the administration
IOECCb ulcdu 70 IudAt lne
measure will be introduced and forced
into the bill.
Yesterdays debate lacked the spectacu-
lar interest which attached to the bril-
liant Interchange of Wednesday, when
swagar sherley. of Kentucky, presented
the administration's side of the argu-
ment in the greatest speech of his career
and Champ Clark denounced the admin
istration's plan as flying in the face of
those precedents which have made the
United States a nation and a democracy.
Gardner Speaks.
Among the speakers OF the day IA
vonng the administration plan was Rep
resentatlve Gardner Of Massachusetts
who is styled by the pacihsts In Con-
gress "the High Priest of Militarism.' =
Representative Gardner argued that the
conscr1ption system of creating an army
was altogether democratic in principle
and would prove to be so In practice.
He urged upon the House that with a
shortage of more than 10000 in the
present enrolment Of the regular army
and the National Guard to full war
strength, the administration plan by nc
means closed the doors in the faces
OF the men Of the nation who really and
sincerely desired to volunteer for the
war, and that Furthermore these very
regulats and National. Guardsmen stood
the best chance Of seeing war service
anyhow.
Representative Thomas, of Kentucky,
spoke against the selective draft.
II favor the volunteer system" an
nounced Thomas "If we hear the call
for an army of a million men, the men
of the United States will rise to the
occasion. 1t is said that we may use the
draft If the volunteer method shall fail
We ought not to use 1t even then. The
fellows that don't volunteer when their
country calls upon them to fight we
ought to take down to the nearest slaugh-
ter-pen and knock 'em in the head"
Attacks ConscrIption.
Representative Chandler, of, New York,
attacked the selective draft system as un-
American in principle. He charged that
the membership OF the House of Repre-
sentatives were supine and Indifferent to
the Constitutional prerogative of the leg
islative branch of the government
II yield to no man In respect for the
man who has been President Of Prince
ton University, governor Of the State of
New Jersey. who wrote the History of
the American People and who now holds
the ONCE OF President of the limited
States. But Woodrow Wilson. the man
is not to be confused In the minds OF
any one OF US ana In the respect we
accord him than is the sanctity OF the
duty and the obligation which is jmposed
upon us as members of this House,
Representative Sisson, of Mississippi
spoke in favor of the volunteer systero
Representative Mason, in opposing con-
scription, INDUCED in a criticism Of Presi-
dent Wilson which brought a chorus OF
Kisses from floor and galleries. Repre-
sentative Miller, of Minnesota, and Rep
resentative, Jones, of Texas, spoke In
favor OF selective draft. Representative
Frear, OF Wisconsin. got into a coIoquy
with several Eastern members of the
House through starting in to defend the
State Of Wisconsin whence in the re-
cent debates has come much opposition
to the war ana much expression OF
pacifstic tendencies.
A report became current late yesterday
that Representative Kahn had broken
down under the strain and been forced
to retire from the fight. Great relief fol-
lowed telephoned announcement from,
the Californian that he had simply
eloseted himself at home for the purpose
OF preparing the speech he will deliver
today In favor OF the administration
plan and with which the debate for
selectiye draft win close.