New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-28
Senate Measure Makes
Conscript Ages
21 to q
Conference Will
Give Final Touch
Senator Calder Shows
Volunteer Plan
Has Failed
From The Tribune Bute,ui

From The Tribune Bufe,u
Washington, April 2s Saturday.
The Administration army bill carrying
the selective draft, with the age limits
Of men subject to draft changed from
nineteen to twenty-five, inclusive, to
twenty-one to twenty-seven, inclusive,
will pass the Senate tonight. The
House will pass very much the same
bill to-day, except that the ages sub
ject to draft probably will be left at
twenty-one to forty, leaving the ques-
ton of the maximum age limit to be
settled in conference.
In other respects the bill will be very
much as it came from the Admlnistra-
ton, despite the radical amendments
made by the majority of the House
Military Committee. ed by Chairman
Dent, successor 70 Chairman James
Hay, famous for his small army fight
against Secretary Garrison. which
drove the latter out Of the Cabinet.
Mr.. Dent is slated for sweeping de-
feat in the first big light he has led,
when the House votes to-day on the
Kahn amendment, which strikes out the
volunteer feature and substitutes the
selective draft.
La Toilette Takes Floor
Near midnight, when the Senate was
about to adjourn, after a day and
night debate, Senator La Toilette took
the floor and announced his inten-
ton of speaking. He has pending
Amendments to strike out the draft pro
vision and to submit the question OF
raising an army to a referendum.
Mr.. La Toilette denounced attempts
to rush the army bill through Congress
without what he thought was proper
discussion. He praised the volunteer
system, and urged that men who would
form a draft army should have an op-
portunity to vote on the draft feature
by referendum. Enlisted men should
be better paid and adequate provision
made for their dependents, he declared.
Criticises Root Appointment
He criticised the appointment OF
Elihu Root to head the American mis-
sion to Russia. He said that some OF
the refugees who have been released
from Siberia who had previously sought
asylum in the United States, but en-
countered obstacles placed in their way
by Mr.. Root when he was an official OF
this government might understand how
they should take his advice.
Mr.. La Toilette made final plea that
the United States exert its great infiu-
ence to bring the war 10 an early con-
clusion, but said that it should not be
drawn into an agreement with the Al
lies that would prevent it from making
a separate peace with Germany.
Senator La Toilette concluded his
speech at 1905 this morning, after
having spoken 2h hours, and the
Senate recessed until 10 a. m. when
debate on the measure will continue.
The House adjourned soon after IL
o'clock until IL o'clock this morning.
Within a fortnight after the bill Is
signed the military census will be in
operation throughout the country and
the construction Of the sixteen great
training camps will be begun. Regis
tration will be through town, county
and postoffice districts, and on given
date every citizen within the required
ages must present himself under pain
Of heavy penalty. The initial incre-
ment Of 100000 men may be obtained
through the use of the jury wheel, and
stiff course of training is prepared
for them, as well as for the increments
TO follow.
New York's new Senator, Mr.. Calder,
made his maiden speech yesterday in
favor Of the conscription plan. He de-
clared that talk about raising 100000
volunteers overnight is nonsense"
Says Enlistments Show Failure
"Enlistments in the regular army
since April /, given By states. indicate
the failure Of the volunteer system"
he said. The regular army on April
required lS3,S9S enlisted men to bring
it up to full authorized strength. After
twenty days of enlistments all over
the country, greater part Of this
period being after war was declared on
April 6, the regular army had gained
only 25,s42 men. The figures Of recent
date do not show any spprccisble in
crease in the rate Of enlistment.
at required twenty days to raise
one-seventh of the quota for the entire
country. At that rate it would take
$40 days to complete the quota, OF
nearly five months. This is only the
quota needed to bring he regular army
20 full strength. and il takes no sc-
count whatever Of the National Guard
and the new army which is planned in
this bill. II sus,aIns completely the