New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-24
Both Branches Of Congress
Expected to Vote in
Few Days
Wadsworth and
Lunn Urge Draft
Representative of Texas
Says Propagandists Seek
to Prevent Adoption

Washington. April 23. The fight for
/ conscriptiou entered IT'S final phase to-
dav when the Administration plan came
under debate in both House and Sen
ate, with assurance Of vote in both
/ houses before the end Of the week.
( 4 feature Of the debate in the House
was the charge by Representative
Eagle, Of Texas that the same men
and organizations which were flood
ing Congress with petitions against
the arming OF ships for defence against
German submarines, fighting in favor
Of breaking the British blockade. and
making propaganda OF all sorts which
would aid Germany or hamper England
IN the war are now flooding Congrcss
with appeals against conscriptIon and
IN favor Of the volunteer system.
crescent prospects arc that the vote
on the army bill will come in the House
on Thursday, with az least fair chance
that the volunteer section may be
stricken from the bill. and the Sclcc-
tive draft retained just as in the Sen
ate bill
Ready to invoke Cloture
ON Wednesday Senator Chamberlain
will ask the Senate 20 FIX a time for
vote on the selectVc draft bill
Should he fail to obtain it. ne will on
Thursday attempt for the first time to
apply the new clojurc rule Of the Sen
ate which will limit speeches after
that to ono from each Senator. not OK
cceding an hour in length.
Perhaps the most stirring speech i'm
the debate i'm either house was made by
Schenectady's former Socialist Mayor,
George r. Lunn. who was assigned TO
the Military Committee. Mr.. Lunn
cleared up the apprehension as TO
the safeguards imposed under the
selective draft system against pulling
into tho army men moro useful in
agricultural. industrial and other civil
pursuits.
as IT not a fact" asked Represents
tive Fields. Democrat. Of Kentucky
that. whether we operate under the
draft or the volunteer system IN thli
bill we will have the same safeguard,
The department can reject a man IN
der the voluntary system because he Is
indispensable 10 industry, just the
same rs IL he were selected"
Draft Is Scientific
"With this difference" supplemented
Lunn, in reply. that under the yolun-
tary system n call for volunteers causes
a rush for tho place Of rendezvous
individuals by tho thousand. Under
the draft system they are not called
away from their industries until tho
particular ones are wanted. and that d.
n very much more scientific way o.
doing il. particularly when it is realized
that in some industries the loss Of Il
few men for few days would have
almost a Gripping effect.
81 want 10 speak as dispassionately
rs ! can Of internal conditions ! am
not casting any insinuations against
any member Of the House, but if | were
a prO-Gcrman, # were q hatcr OF
America and ! wanted 10 put America
before the world i'm weakened condi-
tiou, | would stand for the voluntary
system without the right of conscrip-
ton AZ all ! would absolutely stand
on that principle, because | believe that
t would weaken our defence and make
us the laughing stock Of not only our
one enemy but Of any other potential
enemy"
Representative Eagle, Democrat. Of
Texas, interrupted:
"Apropos Of the Centleman's remarks,
in tho last two years and half ! have
received signature ~ thousands on
postcards. form postcards. letters and
form letters. petitions and resolutions
concerning real or imaginary mass
meetings in my district and throughout
the country.
Propagandists Traced
Each and every one Of these com
munications. which. as the result Of
similarity Of names and phraseology
have been traced through my office 10
common sources, has asked me to do
those things here in Congress which