Evening star., 1917-04-27
PLAN FINAL DRIVE
IOPASS ARMY BILL
Senate and House Leaders
MarshaIing Their Forces for
SeIective.Draft.
DENT BILL UP IN HOUSE

Administration leaders, both in the
Senate and in the House began today
to gather their forces in a final drive
to enact the administrators bill pro-
viding for a selective draft system be-
fore tomorrow night. In the House
Representative Kahn and Representa-
against the draft plan. made their
final speeches. and were greeted with
many rounds of applause from their
supporters.
With every prospect OF its continuing
until far into the night. the SENATE TO-
day is attempting to wind up general
debate as far as possible upon the bill,
At O'Clock tomorrow the bill will be
considered under u special agreement
whereby each senator will be limited to
one speech of ten minutes on the bill
and to speeches of not more them five
minutes on amendments. A vote must
be taken by midnight tomorrow.
Score of Amendments.
There are pending more than a scx're
of amendments proposed by vario~is
senators. and it is expected that sth'l
others will be offered. Many Of thesse
amendments deal with important mat
ters. and the leaders today are of the
opinion that it will be late tomorrow ,
before vote can be had upon the bill
This afternoon there remained long
list of senators who still desired to
speak on the bill.
In the House the Dent bill to raise an
army by the volunteer system and to
appropriate $4,000. 100000 for its i'm
consideration, but the administration
supporters predict that the Kahn
amendment to substitute selective
draft system will carry by at least
fifty votes. The plan is 20 ameLd the
Dent bill and pass II tomorrow night
before o'clock. then TO rush 1t over
10 the Senate and in this way gain a
parliamentary ddvantage \ mood OF
of all sorts is to be offered
in both houses. some of them effecting
the age limit of the men TO be selected
for the honor of serving their country.
Representative Macarthur of Oregon has
prepared an amendment for the House
bill to permit Theodore Roosevelt to
lead an army division to France.
Long Night Session.
The House remained in session until |
2:o7 this morning. to allow time for
speeches from members who desired to |
be on record one way or the other. At |
it was agreed to meet |
again today at noon. with the proba- |
bility of vote tonight. |
There were many speeches during |
the long night session.
Representative Graham of Pennsyl- |
vania sharply criticised Speaker Clark |
for saying that Missourians saw little |
difference between the terms conscript |
and convict.
shame on the man who would use |
such language" he said. God knows |
that many a man who was Just as |
brave as any Of us has not volun-
teered"
Representative Mccormick of Illinois, |
supporting the draft. declared members
should pay no attention to whispers on |
the floor as to the probable effect of |
their votes on their political future.
'Of what consequence is the exist
ence of any of u.s. he said, when the |
lives of soldiers. the present security
Of the republic and its future peace |
may hang on our vote
Representative Sherwood of Ohio. a |
civil war brigadier general. spoke for |
the volunteer plan. He characterized |
tho draft as un-American. unconstitu-
tional and unnecessary