The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-05-22
THE BILL AS APPROVED.

Final action was taken by congress
Thursday on the war army ill. the
second of the major measures of the
war.
The senate, by vote Of So to 8,
adopted the conference report ae-
cepted by the house.
AS finally approved the bin PRO
vides for raising, by selective con-
scription, war army in inerements
of 100000 men from 81 to go wears
| of age. 1t also authorizes, without
directing, the president to raise VOL
unteer forces which Colonel Roose-
welt desires to take to France, and
increases the pay of all enlisted men
from SIS to $50 month.
Draft Machinery Ready.
Machinery to register and drafa
the first 100000 men already has
been set up by the war department
Immediately after the president signs
the bill, he will, by proclamation.
| designate the day for registration Of
the 100000 or more men of the
prescribed age. Registration hooks
viii be in the hands Of state and
local authorities, who are to cooper
ate in the work, and Brigadier Gen
eral CrOwder, the provost marshal
general. expects to have his complete
lists in Washington within five days
after registering begins.
Then will come the task of select
ing the first half million, exempting
the physically unfit, those with de-
pendents and men who are needed
on the farms and in industries. The
process of selection probably win be
completed long before the men are
wanted. Secretary Baker says that
because of lack of supplies the new
army would not be called to the coll
ors for training before September.
Sour ON Roosevelt Plan.
Whether Colonel Roosevelt shall be
permitted to raise an expedition
rests with President Wilson.
Army officers take the ground that
the Roosevelt contingent, if one were
raised, would not fit into the nations
military establishment at any point
Congress is providing for military
force based on the principle of uni
versal liability to service. It would
be unfair, the army officer contend,
: TO permit one man to organize a vol
unteer contingent and to deny that
privilege to another, who might be
much ADLER man from military
point of view.
President May Ignore Rt.
1t is pointed out that President
, Wilson could approve the bill con-
tanning the volunteer provision and
yet ignore it. The amendment does
not direct the president to accept the
, division; it merely authorizes him to
do so. All the weight Of the presi-
dents advice is against the Roosevelt
; plan.
Roosevelt's Record Attacked.
AS during the early stages of the
, long dispute in congress, the closing
debate conferred upon the sO-calleu
Roosevelt amendment. Colonel Roose-
welt was vigorously attacked by Sen
ator Stone, of Missouri, and as ar
IDENTIFY defended by his friend, SEN
ator Johnson, of California.
Senator Stone attacked the ROose-
welt amendment on the ground that
Colonel Roosevelt is unfit to com
mand body of troops because he
has no respect for authority, consti-
tutional or otherwise" and described
the provisions as "a scheme both per
sOnal and political"
Colonel Roosevelt is unfit to COM
mand, certainly a large body OF
men," Senator Stone said, "Roose-
welt is practically without training.
He commanded regiment ia the
Spanish war for short time, it is
true. He led them courageously. but.
did not command them with iudg-
ment. He got his men into bad
hole in imminent danger of being
cut to pieces, and they would have
been except for negro regiment
that came to the rescue and saved
them.
This scheme is personal and poll
teal. It is smeared all over with poll
tics"
The senate's approval OF the army
measure agreed upon BY the confer
ees and adopted by the house came
late in the day after attempts to send
it back to conference, and an earnest
. appeal by Senator Chamberlain
chairman of the military committee
for final action.
The Eight senators who east tbe
negative votes were:
Democrats-Gore Of Oklahoma
Hardwick of Georgia, Kirby of Ar
kansas, Stone of Missouri and Tram
mel of Florida. Republicans Fol
lette OF Wisconsin, Gronna OF North
Dakota and Norris Of Nebraska.