Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-10
President Using His Personal
Influence to Overcome OPP
position to Staff College
Army Plan,
VOLUNTEER SYSTEM HAS
FRIENDS IN THE HOUSE
Opponents of Compulsory
Service May Offer Compro-
mise Which President Prob
ably viii Reject,

Washington, April 9.-President
sonal Influence into the scales today
in an effort to overcome opposition in
congress to the administration army
plans based on the draft system.
Summoning Chairman Dent of the
house military committee, now con-
sidering the bill, the president made
1t clear that he believes the safety OF
the nation hangs on the action of con"
greSS in this regard. He will make a
similar exposition of the military sit
uation to Representative Anthony of
Kansas, who has led opposition to the
draft plan among republican mem
bers of the military committee.
In the war address hisi 4-iis~.i .,
congress that in his judgment the
United States must face her enemy
with a certain weapon in the form of
an army raised by application of the
principle of universal liability for mil
itary service as a duty of citizenship.
Supplementing that, he issued state
ment recently approving in ev-
cry detail the department plans which
have the luminous approval of the
army general staff.
In his action today, however, the
president recognized that there may
develop Il strong feeling in congress
In favor Of adhering to the old Volun-
teer system, and sought to bring home
to Mr.. Dent, one of those who holds
that view, the lessons to be drawn
from the great war into which the
United States has been plunged and
which all point, military advisers OF
the government declare, to the abso'
lutte necessity of facing the issue
Isquarely and summoning men to the
colors by draft.
Senate Debates on Draft.
| A compromise plan may he offered
! by the opponents of compulsory serv-
! ice. A sentiment for such a move was
evident in Mr.. Dents committee be-
fore which Secretary Baker and the
military chiefs of the war department
assembled in full strength during the
day to support the administrations
policy. There was no indication, how
ever, that a compromise would be aC'
cepted by the president.
In the senate, debate on Conscrip
/ ton occupied much time during dis
cussion of the regular army appro
priation bill left over from last ses
sion The question is not dealt witt
in the bill but during the debate Sen
ator Kirby, one of the six senators
who voted against the war resolution
offered an amendment which
would authorize the president to cal
volunteers in lots OF half a millior
each. The amendment is subject to {
point of order and probably will b'
disposed of that way without debate
As q result of Chairman Dents atti
tude, it Is possible that some othe'
member of the house committee viii
present the administration bill if it il
reported, as officials hope it will be
substantially in the form in which /
was drawn. The chairman agreed t.
introduce it "by request" which
means that he would take no respon
sibility for it, With no active ant
sympathetic leadership on the floor o
the house from the chairman, the tasl
may go to some other committeeman
Representative Kahn, ranking repub
4 llcan member, has been a conssten
advocate of universal military train
ing and service for years. He wen
to the extent, during the framing o
the national defense act, of sending {,
England for recruiting posters and lit
erature, and used them to illustrate