Evening star., 1917-04-10
To Care for "Copperheads."

for advertising services and space.
To Care for "Copperheads."
Senator Chamberlain questioned the
response from newspapers opposing the
war policy.
Each community" Senator Hitchcock
answered. will take care of its news
papers of a copperhead character"
Senator Jones of Washington sug-
gested that in advertising for recruits
the needs Of the government should be
empha sized without painting rosy pic
lures of the opportunities for the men.
Raising recruits, Senator Vardaman
said, is not a question of pay. Every
opportunity ought to be given to the
American citizen to volunteer his serv-
ices" said the Mississippi senator.
That reading notices in newspapers
and magazines are planned to get re-
cruits was stated by Senator Chamber
lain, who said he later would discuss
the question of increasing the pay OF
the enlisted man.
Senator Smith of Michigan, another
newspaper publisher, said Secretary
Baker told him yesterday that news
papers voluntarily were contributing
space to aid recruiting.
Nelson for Volunteers.
SeHdtOT ANclsOIl, veteran VI tiC SiSii
war, declared yesterday afternoon in favor
of call for volunteers.
II venture to say" said he. that if the
President calls for volunteer army OF
900 men and says that it is going to
Europe and fight there would be no trou-
BILE at all. What the boys dread above all
is to be stationed in camp with nothing
but a drills and guard duty. What they
want is to march and fight and to meet
the enemy"
The senator added. however. that he
did not believe it necessary to send
an army to Europe at present.
Senator Stone urged an increase in
the pay of privates to four or five times
the present amount. He said that
might increase the army bill 81 .000, zoe,
900 a month, but was worth it because
the men who would go to war would
leave behind dependents.
Secretary Bakers Position.
Secretary Baker stood firmly by the
general staff plans for selective con-
scription when he appeared yesterday
before the House committee on mill
tary affairs Members of the commit
tee who are opposed to the plan ques-
toned the cabinet officer closely. but
evidently could not make a change In
his determination to push through the
already framed and given
a black eye by the premature use Of
the word 'conscription."
Mr. Baker approved suggestion that
instead of authorizing two increments
of selective draft forces 100000 to an
increment, the bill authorize the
President to call as many such incre-
ments from time to time as he deemed
necessary to prosecute the war.
Mr. Baker said the only provision of
the administration bill which would
against the continuance of Ma
tional Guard units as such after they
had been drafted in the federal service
was that the way was to be opened for
National Guard officers to promotion to
any part of the new armies. This pro-
vision was inserted in justice to the Off
GERS of the guard and to provide an
elastic aad homogeneous military struc-
ture.
Mr. Baker explained also that the de-
partment had been unable to permit
National Guard recruiting to proceed
beyond the peace strength of the com
mands because of shortage of equip
ment which it could supply Immediate
ly. The departments reserve stock was
absorbed by the recent border mobiliZa
ton.
Progress on 1918 Bill.
In the Senate the 1918 appropriation
bill. designed to carry on the existing
establishment. is making rapid
progress 1t has passed the House al
ready and came from the Senate COM
mittee carrying a total of s27S,000, 900.
which Is in addition to the S3,000.000,00
now asked for the army to meet the
war emergency.
The bill now contains one section in
serted by the Senate committee which
has a direct bearing on the war emer-
gency. 1t does away with the grade
of brigadier general entirely. substitut-
ing a senior and Junior division of the
grade of major general instead. The
grade of brigadier corresponds to the
abolished grade of commodore in the
navy.
The new section also proposes that
the chief of staff be given the rank of
general, senior to all other army Of
ficers, while in that position. This
again parallels changes in navy prac-
tice. where the chief of operations has
been made ranking admiral of the
navy. Similarly, departmental COM
manders would become generals. and
provision Is made for the recreation of
the grade of lieutenant general, which
vanished from army lists with the re-.
tirement of Gen. Miles.
now in contemplation. this procedure
that high command can be properly as
signed and adjusted.
Urge Big Food Production.
Production of sufficient amount of