Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-20
PRESIDENT BEGINS
PERSONAL FIGHT
FOR DRAFT BILL
Expresses Earnest Hope
That Measure Will Be
Passed.
LEADERS CONFIDENT
OF ULTIMATE SUCCESS
Will Be Taken UP in Senate as
Soon as Espionage Matter
Is Out of Way.
DEBATE IN HOUSE On MONDAY
Friends and Opponents OF Plan Lin
ing Up for Impending
Battle.
DEBATE IN HOUSE On MONDAY
lii, 4 s.cclat.h Preh..l

IL, Associated Pressl
WASHINGTON. Anril i3.-As on
step toward meeting opposition in Con-
Srcss 10 the administrations army
plans. prcsid.ni Wilson to-day sent
letter to Representative Iicivcrinr. of
Kansas, explaining what is meant by
sclcctiye draft. and expressing carncs,
hope tina, The bill drafted by tic War
Departmcn, would be passed.
4 ~ President and administration
leaders in Congress arc confident Of
the ultinatc enactment Of the army
bill without material changes. The
fight probably Will begin il, the Sen
ate where the bill will bc tai eli NJ. as
.oon as the espionage measure Is dis
posed Of. Chairnan Chamberlain. o.
the Military Committee. submitted his
favorable report 10 day.
Chairman Dent. OF The tio,iSv CON-
niittec, formally presented during the
day the report OF his commit, &c oi!c
ing the bill. in amended form. author
izing the President 10 call for voIun-
tccrs IN incrcircuis Of 100000. ard pro
vidhg for the scie:iivc draft only
after the volunteer plan has f:,sied
Representative Kahn. Of Cal'r.rnia,
rank ing Republican mcmLcY OF ;h,:
House committee who viii &c one OF
the administrations chief spok csmcu
during the night in tho Jlousc, hal a
4 long conference with officials OF the
War Department,
DEBATE: WILL BEGIN
IN uOISE: ON MONDAY
Debate on the ari.ry biii viii begin
IN the House on Monday An agree
mcnt was reached to-day by House
leaders and consideration Of the meas
urc is expected to last from two to
three days. Majority aud minority re
ports will lac nied with the clerk Of
the House on Saturday. The House ad-
:ourmcd this afternoon until Monday
Friends and opponents of the plan
for raising an army by sclectivc draft
lined ur in Congress today for the
impending fight over the two sys-
tens
Representative Kahn received addi-
tional Information at the War Depart
ment. TO conduct the fight he has under
taken. To all intents and purposes he
will bc administration spokesman be-
fore the House on the question OF army
preparation.
PVISE.NT IN hF.POItr
iI:rrEN FROM HAkEIt
+ 1t is expected Mr.. Kahn will present
in his minority report "A letter from
Secretary Ba kcr sent to Chairman Dent
Two days ago in "a final effort 10 get
tho committee to approve the admins
tration plans. which outlines clearly
the purpose Of the military experts to
provide places for nearly 100000 .indi-
Nidual volunteers in the expanded reEu-
lar army and National Guard, and their
reasons for distrusting any scheme for
taking into the service complete volun-
teer units as proposed by the majority
OF the House committee.
Representative Kahn will have avail
able also a detailed study of England's
struggle with the volunteer system
made by American military experts
who personally watched the process.
1t is understood these reports Eraphi-
cally picture the failure Of the system
under its greatest test in history, and
point out the costly delay of the cx-
fDeriment and the attendant military
disasters at the front charged to it,
Discussing his plans. Representative
Kahn said the position taken ny the
committee minority will be that the
iaymcn of Congress have no right to
set aside the view of trained experts
In favor Of a plan which those experts
believe is dangerous to the nation.
Representative Kahn pointed out that
only four members of the House had
personal military experience. and all
four favor the administration bill.
HOUSE MAY NOT CAnE
!. TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
The fight is not lost" Mr.. Kahn
said. IT do not believe that the House
itself will care to assume the respon-
sibility of overriding the unanimous
Judgment of trained military men at
,.Jmc and abroad and set up an army
organization of its own. for the failure
or which Congress would have to bear
tic full blame. If the plans of our
-rperts are tried and go wrong, the
game will be theirs. 1t will not rest
with Congress"
PRESIDENT STRONGLY
URGES SELIcCTIVE DRAFT
Representative Helvering wrote as
follows:
IF welcome the inquiry Of your letter
Of April 10. because I have realized
the truth OF what you say from my
own observations, namely, that what
is meant TO be understood by the
selective draft is not generally under
stood throughout the country
"The process Of the draft is, think.
very clearly set forth in the bill
drafted by the War Department, and
which ] 80 earnestly hope the Con-
xress will adopt but It Is worth while
No state the idea which underies tho
bill a little more fully
1T took occasion the other day in an
- CNanfinIled nn Sannnd Pamn -