Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-05


into the federal service were to be kept
within their respective states.
Army plans as they now stand make
no place for Col. Roosevelt's volunteer
the plans will be presented to Congress
they provide for the regular army. the
National Guard and the new army to
be raised by universal service.
Roosevelt Application in Allegiance.
Col. Rooseyelt's application II being
held with several others Of a similar
nature. 1t is possible that some place
may be found for volunteer divisions ip
the future. but the way does not ap-
pear in present plans.
Registration of all single men be.
tween the fixed ages will be . big task.
Cooperation of state and municipal
authorities may be sought under the
plans for state cooperation in the ma
tional war measure program being
framed by the council Of national de-,
fense. Several million men must be
enrolled and examined physically be-
fore the process of selection can be ap-
piled. Probably workers of certain
classes. whose labor is vital to MAIN
tenance of the food and war supplies OF
the nation. will be exempted as class.
Army officers are prepared to argue
against any premature effort to send
an army abroad to fight To be Of any
aid in the world struggle, they say.
only very considerable force Of fully
trained and highly equipped and or.
ganized troops. with adequate inde-
pendent supply lines, should go to Eu-
rope. To do otherwise. one ofiicer de-
clared. might make American troops
menace rather than an aid to the en-
tente armies. 1t would further tax the
already heavily strained French and
British supply systems.
To Prevent Exorbitant Profit.
The government has invoked for the
first time its drastic powers to strike
"a death blow at exorbitant war
profits. Under authority of the latest
naval appropriation bill, manufac-
turer was directed to furnish a large
order of war supplies at price dxed
by the government far lower than the
figure voluntarily submitted. II the
order is not obeyed. the plant VIII DO
taken over and operated by the gov.
ernment.
officials would not disclose the name
of the manufacturer nor the agency
through which the order was given. 1t
was admitted. however, that the action !.
had been taken, and that President
Wilson and his advisers were firmly
resolved that only fair and reasonable
charges should be paid by the nation
to its citizens for the things that are
necessary to make ready for war.
While European governments are
paying an average of 10 per cent proht !
on war materials purchased in the
United States, it was asserted suthorf.
tatively that the government OF the
United States intended to buy its own
supplies at less than that ratesof proht
to the seller.
Provisions of the Law.
nj. , ;,,olad 4, eectyon ~
the latest naval appropriation bill. a.
follows:
The President is authorised to re-
quire the owner or occupier OF any rae
tory in which ships are built or pro-
duced to place at the disposal OF the
United States the whole or any part OF
the output of such factory, ana, witnin
the limit of the amounts appropriated
therefor, to deliver such output or
narts thereof in such quantities and at
such times as may be specified In the
order at such reasonable price as shall
he determined by the President" i
Behind that clause stand other laws
as a grim reminder of the purpose OF
Congress to make its will effective
A section of the national defense act ,
makes it a felony punishable oy three
years Imprisonment and $4,000 nne 10
fail to meet the governments demands.
and another section OF the navy Dill
authorizes the taking over and opera
ton of all or any part OF any plant
II is understood that the concern
against which these statutes have been
invoked refused to meet the govern
ment's requirements as to price wnen
the orders were rendered originany
and in the regular way. So far as
known, this is the only case OF the KIND
yet produced by the present emergency.
Standing out sharply against this IN
stance ia an announcement made by
bernard Baruch. commissioner for min
erals of the national defense council
of the voluntary offer of the brass.
ment.s order at cost of production.
Plans for Raising an Army II
Discussed at the Capitol