Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-04-12
PRESIDENT INSISTS
ON ARMY DRAFT
Opportunity Will Be Given, How.
ever, for 100000 Men to
Voluntarily Enlist.

Washington, April 11.-President
Wilson, in a conference with Speaker
Champ Clark and Majority Leader
Kitchin ut the Capitol to-day. insisted
on the terms of the administration
plan for raising large army on the
principle Of se1ective draft. At the
same time. however. 1t was learned
that the war department virtually had
decided on plans under which oppor-
tunity would be given for approxi-
mately 100000 men to volunteer for
service for the term of tho war.
The net result of the new plans
would be to make the total national
guard tho regular force to be or
ganized first Independently Of the Sc
lective draft plan approximately 7?4,-
900 men, making room for the alb
sorption of half a million volunteers.
No attempt to enlist men to accom-
plish this will be made, however. until
Congress has acted. and authority is
granted to enlist such volunteers Tor
the duration of the war only.
The President talked for nearly an hour
with Speaker Clark and Representative
kitchin. and discussed the sdministra-
ton army plan in detail. making clear
that 1t had been drawn up only after
the most thorough consideration at the
war department. and after 1t had been
decided that it was the only way to meet
the demand for a great and efficient
lighting force.
Both Speaker Clark and Representative
Kitchin told the President that much
sentiment existed in Congress against
the plan. principally on the ground that
draft should not be resorted to until al,
effort had been made to raise an army
through volunteers.
CAREFUL reconsideration of the terms
of the existing national defense act is
responsible for the contemplated change
Of the administration policy in regard to
the mobilization Of the National Guard
for war. Officials now think the law
grants the States the right to organize
additional guard units up to the full limit
Of 800 men to a congressional district. II
that view is sustained by army legal au-
thorlties. such additional regiments as
any State may decide to form will be rec
ognized by the federal government and
be drafted into the federal service when
that action Is taken with respect to units
already organized
The effect of this change would be to
make it possible for the National Guard
to have q full strength Of 100000 enlisted
men In the first element of the wartime
national army. The present policy OF the
war department. of drafting only those
units now existing and such additional
units as may be necessary to fill out d.
visional organization, or which have
armories and other evidence Of perma-
nency. would produce about $4,000 men.
The department has decided. Secretary
Baker told the House military committee
to-day. to raise the regular army up to
the full strength prescribed by the ma
tional defense act. $4,000. Immediately on
the passage Of the war organization bill
by Congress. This means that three adj
ditional increments, totalling approxi-
mately $1,000 men, would be required.
Many new regiments would be formed by
dividing existing regiments and filling
each half up to full war regimental
strength.
! Previously it had been thought wise to
add only the 1918 increment. conserving
the capacity Of the regular establishment
as a training force. ,.-