The Washington herald., 1917-04-28
DRAFT BALLOT TODAY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.


Ill the ranks depicted by the casualties
OF battle should be OF the same balanced
representative. democratic character.
He pointed to the experience Of Great
Britain In the present world war He
urged that America should not repeat
the mistake OF Britain with the glarinE
example of Britain's terrible mistake not
two years old on the pages Of history.
Abraham Lincoln's famous letter to the
Massachusetts mother who had given
hve sons to the cause OF the Union in
the civil war furnished opportunity for
the most telling point of Representative
Xahns effort.
why should she have made such a
sacrifice7" demanded Kahn with a catch in
his voice as he pointed toward the group
Of his opponents seated around Chairman
Dent. Why should she give FIVE sons.
and mother. a nearby neighbor per-
maps, give none? Why should any
mother be called upon to give her ali?
Under the selective draft such things
win be impossible. It Is the only fair,
the only equitable, the only democratic
way"
Explains Wilson's Views.
The concluding address by Chairman
Dent In favor of the volunteer bill as
reported by the Military Affairs Com
mlttee was more explanatory OF the posi-
ton OF the opposition to the administra-
! tion views than a defense OF the
volunteer system.
i told the President and Secretary
Baker" said Dent, that It seemed to
be the sense and the opinion of the
House that the traditional volunteer
! system of this country should be in
| cluded in this bill. Yet in this eleventh
| hour majority of the committee arc
! asked to surrender conviction and vote
| for bill In which We do not believe.
II in times such as these the executive
| Is privilesed to draft legislation and send
| It TO Congress to be enacted without the
dotting OF an 'I'' or the crossing of a
| It." then I for one am ready TO resign
my seat
Also Dent declared that the adoption
OF the conscriptive system at this time
meant the fastening upon the nation for
| ever of the system as the permanent
military policy OF the nation.
| The first amendment offered was that
Of Representative Austin, OF Tennessee.
which provided for the enlistment Of one
or more divisions of volunteers above the
age of 25 years for service overseas.
| This is the amendment which has been
known as the Roosevelt amendment.
| Under Its terms the Roosevelt division
of 1900 men might be enrolled for ser
vices on the European battlefields.
Gardner Backs Proposal.
The proposal was warmly advocatd by
Representative Gardnerfi of Massachu-
| sets, and as roundly condemned by
| Chairman Dent.
The amendment, after nearly an hour s
debate, was defeated in the Comittee
of the Whole by a vote of 10 to los.
The House next took up the amend
ment Of Representative Kahn, which Is
! the actual substitution Of the Army Cen
eral Stanf plan for the volunteer bill
as introduced by Dent and the Military
Affairs Committee. In the course of
the general discussion Republican Lead
er Mann, Of Illinois, entered the debate
| for tho first time.
Manns opening statement, TO the ef-
| feet that the system of conscription as
an adjunct to the volunteer system Of
| army enrolment caused a stigma to rest
upon the conscript and disgrace to fol-
low him throughout his army career,
| caused the opponents Of the selective
draft to take heart for a moment.
But" said Mann, 81 feel compelled.
in this emergency, and when by voting
for conscription as whole thing and
not an alternative Of volunteering for
service, to vote for conscription.'
His choice was acclaimed by the Re-
publican side of the House, where the
cause of conscription finds It's greatest
strength, and where the attitude OF the
titular head of the party in the House
had been in doubt until yesterday.