Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-04-27
WARTIME ARMY IS
CAUSING BIG FUSS
OPPOSITION IN THE HOUSE TO
UNIVERSAL SERVICE HAS
MADE APPEARANCE,
CONGRESS RECEIVES REPORTS
Secretary Of War Fears Enlargement
BY Volunteer System viii Fall
Far Short-Prominent Repub-
Iicans Help President.

Washington. = President Wilson's
fight to organize wartime army in
accordance with the plans of the war
department and the army general staff
will begin this week in both houses of
congress.
In the house both the majority and
minority reports were presented from
the military committee and the bill
will come up with Representative
Kahn, ranking republican, leading the
committee minority's fight for the ad-
ministration plan unamended, while
Chairman Dent, heading the majority
of the committee, directs the opposi-
ton, which is urging trial Of "a volun-
teer system before resorting to the Sc
lective draft of the war department
plan.
The minority report, signed by eight
members of the committee, rests for
authority on a letter from Secretary
Baker to Chairman Dent declaring the
opinion that any compromise on the
department. plan would be attended
by unfortunate results"
Report of Majority.
The majority report, signed by
Chairman Dent and II others, says in
part:
1.-THE bill authorizes but does not di-
rect the president to issue call for
volunteer army Of 100000 in the first
place and of an additional force of
100000 if necessary under the law now
in existence.
THE bill further authorizes the
president to proceed at once with the
registration of all male citizens be-
tween the ages of 81 and 40, as pro-
vided in the plan of the war depart
ment for draft. So that all Of the
machinery authorizing the draft of
100000 for the first force and of the
additional 100000 will be put in opera
ton at once.
1T will require, according to the
testimony of the secretary of war be-
fore the military committee, at least
three months and probably longer to
complete this registration.
President Can Call Volunteers.
I'm the meantime, if the president
sees fit, he is authorized to call for
volunteers and upon the completion of
the registration he has the absolute
! power to decide whether he will take
an army of volunteers or organize one
by draft.
"The bill provides that organizations
of forces, other than the regular army,
shall be composed of men who come
from, and of officers appointed from
the same state or locality as far as
practicable.
Both the volunteer and the draft
features Of the bill authorize the presi-
dent to refuse to accept either by en-
listment or draft the services of per-
sons needed in the industrial pursuits
of the country"
War Secretary Pleads for Draft.
Secretary Bakers letter, included in
the minority report, was written as a
final plea from the military branch
of the government In behalf of the
administration bill.
Il have a deep conviction that any
compromise Of the principles govern
ing the bill submitted by the depart
ment for the raising of q new army
would be attended by unfortunate re-
Suits" he wrote.
1.-THE bill as drawn preserves so
much of the volunteer spirit as can be
preserved without embarking on the
experiment OF mixed system of draft
and volunteering"