Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-18
THE DRAFT PROVISION
Continued from Page One)

taken up at the cabinet meeting and
afterward it was indicated that the full
influence of the administration would
be concentrated on the passage of the
army measure.
The President is understood to be deter
mined upon forcing opponents of the gen.
eral staff's plan out into the open, so that
the country will have an opportunity of
Judging whether they are in the right.
Arguments Of the opponents of selective
draft. based on the idea that the new
army should be raised by call for vol
unteers, are met in official circles by di-
rccting attention to the fact that the
present plans of the war department al
low for more than 100000 volunteers en-
listed for the term of the war.
Representative Dent, who is an oppon-
ent to CONSUMPTION, went to the White
House on his own initiative to tell of OPP
position to the staff bill. He found the
President fixed in his position. After
wards Reps. Mann and Lenroot were call
ed in SO Mr.. Wilson might learn the po-
sition IF the Republicans. They remain
ed at the White House for an hour. and
while they said no poll had been taken
and they were not in position to state
how their colleagues would vote, they as
sured the President that the Republicans
would show no partisan spirit In consid-
ering the legislation.
The Senate committee voted favorably
today on the selective draft and will re-
pert the bill tomorrow with that feature.
There was no roll call. but three
POSED to this feature. Two others OPP
posed to the draft were absent
An opportunity will be given the
proponents OF the volunteer system to
vote on it in committee tomorrow on
an amendment by Senator Mex ellar
authorizing the President to call for
100000 volunteers. This does not
change the language of the bill nor
affect the selective draft feature, but
ii adopted it would be in addition to
the bill as it came from the war de-
partment.
About the only change of import
ance made in the bill by the commit
tee was one which would specifically
include persons engaged in agriculture
as well as those in other industries
who are to be exempted from the Sc
lective draft.
Secretary Baker told the House mill
tary committee fatty tonight that the
war Departments plan for the organiZa-
alton OF an army by selective conscrip-
ton was the only feasible way of meet
ing the emergency with Germany.
The committee will meet tomorrow
for the final vote on the draft issue.
The plan put forward in the commit
tee by Representative Lunn Democrat,
of New York, which Secretary Baker
agreed would be acceptable to the war
department. contemplated that instead
OF the conscription Of men between the
ages Of 10 and 25, there should be four
classes, to be successfully reached in
the draft, beginning with 100000 men
in the first class between the ages Of Fl
and 81. with authority Of the President
to call rs many more Of this class as
he deems best and his discretion before
going to the next class. The other three
groups. in sequence would be between
the ages Of % and a. S5-AAd a. and ~
and ~.
Another plan talked over in commit
tee proposed that all Of the additional
needed men to fill up the regular army
and the national guard should be pro-
duced by the volunteer plan. with the
draft scheme operating at the same
time to raise the new war army.