The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-04-26
CLARK ASSAILS
DRAFT PLAN
Praises Congressman Who
Oppose President.
FOR VOLUNTEER SYSTEM
Speaker, in Fiery Speech, Bitterly At
tacks CONSUMPTION as Slur on
Americans.

Americans.
Washington, April 26.-Opposition
to selectiye conscription rea he'd its
climax in the house OF representatives
Speaker Clark took the floor, and in
vigorous style, championed the vo. I'M
teer army amendment favorably re.
ported by the military committee.
He denied he could not stand by t g
president. He unreservedly declal j
the president was wrong on the gu ).
ton. He pleaded that opportunity be
given to Young men to Offer their serv
ices voluntarily.
Il protest with all my heart and
mind and soul" he shouted. "agH inst
having the SUR Of being a conscr-p t
placed upon tie men Of Missouri. S.
far as NiSsourans are cOnrerne !.
there is precious little difference be.
tween a conscript and a convict"
The speaker made a defense of con
gressmen who, in face Of attack, have
stood by the volunteer plan.
''For several years" the speaker
said, there has been a systematic eff
fort in congress, in many newspapers.
by some public speakers and in sun
dry m8sazines to belittle, depre a e
and minimize the American volunteer
81 resent such performance IN TIE
name of the living and the dead.
resent it in the name of the brave
men who gave us our freedom AMI
who have maintained it. I resent il
in the name of the volunteers who
have shed imperishabe lustra upon
American arms and upon the Ameri
can republic. TIL" volunteer has done
most of our fighting.
"Tf this stupendouS war continue:
long, conscription may become necec
sary. In tho light of history Ct Eng
disappearing peoples. we contend it is
not necessary now.
transcription always has been re,
pugnant to men of our blood WY
do gentlemen doubt the c-urage and
the patriotism of the present genera
ton of Americans? There is not q
scintilla of evidence that we are q
race of towards or mollycoddles. Az
for myself I love to think we'll Of m.
countrymen.
Speaker Clark said his son. Bennett
Clark, the house parliamentarian, was
going into the army "In any capacity
in which he can be useful, either asian
officer or private"
81 hope and pray said lie. that he
may go into the battle. not By the side
of slackcrs and loafers whom the ad
vocateS Of this bill sa- they desire to
reach. hnt shoulder to shoulder with
free men who serve gladly-wi luigi.
to fight for the honor. the safety and
the nerretuity Of this republic.
Representative Byrnes, Democrat oil
South Carolina. quoted from histor5
written by President Wilson, adepet
ing the rfut iff r and h4ree9saisshia s4ss
out the country that attended the
drafts during the civil war."
do you think the spirit OF the Pc
pie has changedo" he asked. Wien
CONSUMPTION is attempted. especially
under the infamous and unequal lot
terry proposition You have here, YOU
are going to inspire more domestic
sui itNlIob ilvtihS anu IilSNna
warfare than you imagine"
Representative Tilson. Republican
Connecticut, speaking for conscriptiGn
said it was not the volunteer he con
demned, but the volunteer system. He
urged CONSUMPTION as the only effici
emf means Of raising the army.
The outburst came when Represea
tative Huddleston, Democrat, Alabama
read g. list of names of men who. he
said, favored it. Among them were
Henry P. Dawson. Frank A. Wander
lip, Frank A. Munsey. Theodore n
Vail, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Elihu Root
and ]. p Morgan.
Mr. Huddleston is opposing the rails
ing of an army by the administration
plan of selective draft He declared
most Of the pleas for war and conscrip
ton came from members of such or
CARNATIONS as the Harvard, Yale anC
Union League clubs. They did moi
come from the working people of the
country he said
Every one who is familiar with in.
dustrial depression and reaction in /
most vicious FORM he said, "Wil
recognize the men named. They anG
their associates are the men whoarule
the nation. They rule it througHtheil
newspapers and their wealth
Representative BankheadI Democrat
Alabama, followed Mr.. Hnddleston, de
claring strongly in favor of conscrip
ion.
ThA Wsather