Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-05-23
ARMY BILL AT LAST READY.
Congress Completes Work and Puts
Action Up to President.

W 'to'''A Se'i'b way iii"i uSiioI
was taken by Congress to-day on the
war army bill, the second OF the ma
jor measures OF the war.
The Senate, by Il vote Of 65 to s,
adopted the conference report accept
ed yesterday b. the House. Vice
President Marshall and Speaker
Clark will sign the bill tomorrow
and send it to the President for ap-
proval. 1t probably will be law be-
fore tomorrow night.
AS finally approved, the bill pro-
vidcd for raising. w selcctiyc con-
scripti0n. war army in incrcmcnts
Of 100000 men from 81 to 30 years
OF age. 1t also authorizes, without
directing. the President. to raise
volunteer forces which Col Roosc-
welt desires to take to France, and
greatly increases the pay Of all en-
listed men.
Draft Machinery Ready.
Machinery TO register and draft
the first 100000 men already has
been set up by the War Department.
Immediately after the President
signs the bin, he will, by proclama-
tion, designate the day for registra-
tion Of the 100000 or more men
Of the prescribed age. Registration
books will be in the hands Of State
operate in the work, and Brig. Gen.
Crowder. the provost marshal gene
raj, expects to have his complete
lists in Washington within five days
after registering begins.
Then will come the task of select
ing the first half million, exempting
the physically unfit. those with de-
pendcnts and men who are needed
on the farms aud in industries. The
process OF selection probably will be
completed long before the men are
wanted. Secretary Baker said to-
day that because Of lack of supplies
tho new army would not be called to
the colors for training before Septem-
Der.
Whether Col. Roosevelt will be
permitted to raise an expedition rests
with President Wilson. His views
have not been disclosed, but it IS be-
leved that he probably will post
pone decision while the draft system
is being put into operation.
RooSevelt's Record Attacked.
AS during the early stages of the
long dispute in Congress, to-day's
closing debate centcred upon the So
called Roosevelt amendment. Col.
Roosevelt was vigorously attacked by
Senator Stone, OF Missouri, and as
ardcntly defended by his friend. Sen
ator Johnson, OF California.
Senator stone attacked the Roose-
welt amendment on the ground that
"Eol. Roosevelt is unfit to command
body OF troops because he has no
respect for authority. constitutional
or otherwise and described the pro-
visions as "A scheme both personal
and POLITICAL"
"Col. Roosevelt is unfit to COM
mand. certainly, Il large body OF
men, Senator stone said. ''Thcre
is nothing in his training. experience
or temperament that fits him Mere
courage. even to the point Of audac-
ity, is not quality that fits a man
to control the lives, safety and health
Of great bodies Of men.
Roosevelt is practically without a
4
regiment in the Spanish war for
short time, it is true. He led them
couraseously, but did not command
them with Judgment. He got his
men into a bad hole in imminent
danger Of being cut to pieces. and
they would have been except for a
negro regiment under trained regu-
lar officers that came to the rescue
and saved them.
This scheme is personal and pO-
litical. 1t is smcarcd all over with
politics. 1t gives Roosevelt, the poll
tician, chance to exploit himself as
the great volunteer hero Of the war.
1t keeps everybody else out and
gives him Il monopoly OF OppOrtu-
nifty"
Main Provisions OF Bill.
The Scnatc's approval Of the meas
nrc agreed upon by the confcrccs and
adopted by the House came late in
tho day after attempts to send il
back to conference. and an earnest
appeal by Senator Chamberlain,
chairman OF thG military committee.