The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1917-05-16

Bill to President in Few Days. Com
promise plcaScS All. In Lieu OF
Sennte'S Concessions ON "Tcddy'
House Yields to Proposal for Pro-
hibition at Military Posts.
Washington. May lO.-rhc long
deadlock of Senate and House con
fcrccs on the sclcctivc draft military
bill was broken today with agreements
on 4 compromise measure under which
a great war army would be raised
by sclcctivc conscription Of mon be-
tween the ages Of 81 and 30, inclu-
Sive.
Authorization for recruiting Col.
Rooscvclts proposed volunteer diviS-
ion for service in France, written into
the bill by the Senate and defended
stubbornly by the Senate conferccs,
finally was thrown out on the in
"istcncc Of committeeman representing
the House. In return the House yield
cd to the Scnatcs proposal for pro-
hibition at military posts.
The conference report is expected
to be given approval by both Senate
and House within a few days and
within two weeks after the President
has affixed his signature registration
Of those eligible for conscription will
be under way throughout the country.
Some States already have selected
their registration boards and the War
= nj II cd
tricate war machine for assigning and
organizing the conscripts. They will
be assembled at training camps in
September.
The compromise bill Is understood
TO be generally satisfactory to the
administration and to the army gem
eral staff, on whose advice the orig
inal measure was framed. The most
important change made in Congress
was in the age limits. fixed by the
staff at 10 to 25, inclusive. The SEN
ate made them 21 and 81 and the
House 81 and 49, The ages named in
the conference agreement are 81 and
80 inclusive, making the draft appli-
cable to all male voters under 81.
Although there has been no direct
authoritative expression from the
White House regarding the Roosevelt
volunteer proposal, administration op-
position to it has been inferred from
the fact that no provision for vol,n-
tcers was contained in the bill as sent
to Congress from the War Department.
With the Roosevelt proposal the con-
fcrces also threw out similar amend
ment under which three regiments
Of volunteers could have been enlisted
for service on the Mexican border
The section dealing With cxemp-
tions from draft was rewritten in part
by the conference committee and pro-
vision was made for hearings in cX-
cmption applications before local civil
tribunals, with the right of appeal to
a second tribunal and finally to the
President.
Two Of the House confcrccs refused
to sign the conference report. Rep
rcscntativc Anthony, Of Kansas, would
not accept ii because the Roosevelt
amendment was stricken out. Repre-
sentative Kahn, Of California, would
not agree to hc prohibition amend
mcnt contcnding that ii reflected on
the moral standard Of the nation and
that regulatory provisions should be
left to the President.
The prohibition provision as agreed
to excludes liquor, beer and wines
from any military post but does not
forbid selling or giving these bevcrag-
cs to soldiers except when in uniform.
Exemptions from the sclcctvc draft
were left virtually as originally sug-
gcstcd by the general staff. Those
absolutely exempt include officers Of
the United States and any State or
Territory; ministers, students Of rec
ogniZcd divinity or theological schools
and members Of "any we'll recognized
religious sect or organization at pres
ent organized whose "cXsting creed
forbids participation in war The last
= class arc not exempt from non-com-
hatant service.
In addition the President IS author
izcd to exclude or discharge from draft
the following
County and municipal officers. Gus
tom house clerks, postal employees,
workmcn in navy yards, or arsenals or