South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-22
ALL SET FOR FIGHT
ON DRAFT MEASURE
House and Senate Military
Committees Make Reports
Battle Tomorrow.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)
by enlistment or draft the services
Of persons needed in the Industrial
pursuits OF the country"
Baker IL: Final plea.
Sec'y Bakers letter included in
the minority report, was written as
a final plea from the military branch
OF the government in behalf OF the
administration bill.
Il have a deep conviction that any
compromise OF the principles gov
erning the bin submitted by the de-
partment for the raising OF new
army would be attended by unfor-
tunate results" he wrote.
The bill as drawn preserves so
much OF the volunteer spirit as can
be preserved without embarking on
the experiment Of mixed system OF
draft and volunteering II makes
place for several hundred thousand
men above the age OF %, who may
be moved 20 volunteer, and be equal
izing the terms and condition Of
service in the regular army, nation
al guard and additional forces gives
such volunteers entire equality with
all others in the national forces.
System Is just.
The drafting provision starts at
the outset a process by which the
forces Of the country can be called
as they shall be needed. according
10 an equal and just system, and il
has these merits:
1T spreads the burden OF mill
tary preparation equally throughout
the United States
1T is certain in its operation. so
that If the registration is made every
man in the country viii know wheth-
er he is TO be called and when he is
10 be called upon, allowing those
who are not 10 be called, or whose
call is postponed. to continue their
normal pursuits undisturbed by I'M
certainty as TO their duty and un-
agitated by neighborhood pressure or
misunderstanding.
1T starts at the beginning of the
accumulation o. these new forces,
and has none Of the character of a
penalty which attaches to the draft
when il is used after volunteering
has been tried and failed.
81 have studied every report I
can secure Of the use of the volun-
teer system abroad and in our own
country. and 1 believe II to be true
that I'm every place where it has been
tried. whatever success il has had
has been due TO a system OF tompul-
sions more harrassing, and almost as
drastic as the provisions of a law
itself In the countries Of Europe.
where the volunteer system has OBJ
tanned. those responsible for IL
were excused because they could
not have fOreseen at the beginning
OF the results. but we have their ex-
perience TO guide us, and I believe
that those responsible in this coun-
try for repeating the costly errors
which have been made abroad will
nos be able to MAKE that explana-
ton.
With the greatest Difference TO
the rights and independence Of judg-
ment OF your committee and the
house. 1 still feel obliged as Secre-
tary of war, and therefore your re-
sponsible adviser on this subject
10 urge the passage of the bill as
drawn. This is the greatest war in
the history OF the world.
Minority Report.
SuppleQ enting Secry Bakers let
ter. the minority report says the
members OF the Committee are lay
men and adds:
I'm this great crisis we deem IL 20
be our patriotic duty in this matter
OF increasing temporarily the mill
tary establishment of the United
States 20 follow the counsel OF the
commander-in-chi of our army
and his expert advisers"
or the place for volunteers in the
administration plan. the minority
saws: Some OF those who favor the
volunteer system. point with pride
10 the fact that I 900 volunteers are
enlisting every day at the present
time. According to a letter from the
secretary Of war 70 the chairman Of
the committee. 724.71S volunteers
will be required for our regular
army and the national guard organ
izatiors. I. would therefore take 72i
DAYS including Sundays. or about two
years to get the volunteer forces re-
CURED for these two branches alone
y our military establishment. Does
that look very fopeful2'
In conclusion the report says:
"Of the eight members Of the mill
tary affairs committee signing this
minority report. four saw actual ser
vice in the volunteer army during
the Spanish-American war and one
or these saw additional service dur
Ing the Mexican Hbrder trouble.
They have knowledge at first hand
OF the inefficiency Of the volunteer
system and they all join in this re-
port. protesting against the evils OF
that system and I'm favor OF a sys-
tenn based on universal obligation 10
service"
RETURN FROM CONVENTION.