The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-11-16
SENATOR CHAMBERLAIN OF OREGON
REVIEWS RECORD OF THE FIRST
WAR CONGRESS- in GREAT CONFLICT

1T may be stated without uualifica-
tion that no Congress since the adop-
ton OF the Constitution has such a
record of accomplishment as has the
first session of the Sixty-fifth Con-
gress-the first War Congress. This
statement has particularly to do with
legislation that has been made neces-
sary For placing the country in a pro-
per attitude for defensive as we'll as
Tor an offensive world war.
On the second day of April, 1917,
the President delivered his message
20 Congress calling attention to the
fact that America because of the atti-
tude which the Imperial German gov
eminent had assumed was already in
state of war, and advising as to the
needs of the country for bringing that
war to a successful conclusion. On the
fifth day of the same month Congress
adopted a resolution declaring that a
state OF war existed, and on the next
day the Presidents proclamation of
war was issued.
with the exception of a few laws
which were passed during the proceed
ing session providing for a reorganiza-
ton OF the Army and an increase of
the Navy in the number of battleships
and in the personnel as well, Ameri-
ca was practically unprepared to play
Its part in the greatest war of his
tory Immediately, however, upon the
issuance of the Presidents proclama-
ton and as soon as the needs of our
country were brought to the attention
OF Congress legislation began to be
formulated. discussed, and enacted
which the crisis demanded.
There has been disposition in
some quarters to criticize Congression-
al action and to charge dilatoriness
upon the part of the Administration.
Sch criticism was and is wholly I'M
Justified. however much merited
might be a criticism that Congress
had acted with too much haste, for
between the declaration Of war and
the adjournment of Congress every
thing was done which seemed to be
necessary In order that America might
play her part in an international lcata-
clysn.
1T. would be impossible in a short
statement to go into details with, ref
erenoe to legislation which has been
enacted. but it is proper to call atten-
ton to a few of the most salient meas
ures. First of all as an efficient
measure for raising an army the selec-
tive draft law easily occupies the first
place The draft was urged by Wash
ington and his generals as necessary
to the successful carrying on of the
Revolutionary War, and a reluctant
Congress finally enacted such law
without the power to enforce it, and
one of the first Acts of Congress I'M
der the Constitution was the compuI-
sorry service law Of 1892, which re-
manned ON the statute books until it's
repeal by the so-called Dick law in
1908 That act was impracticable and
unsuited to modern conditions and in
war such as that which is wagfng
now would have been wholly lacking
In efficiency. Jefferson favored such
announcements OF President Lincoln
was In favor of the draft act of 1863.
Before Great Britain had proceed
ed Ear with the performance of her
part In the pending struggle her
statesmen and military leaders realiz-
ed that such . law was necessary to-
raise an army. and after long sturg-
gle such an act was finally passed.
The same thing is true of Canada,
and only within the past few months
has such an act been passed by the
Canadian Parliament, SO that It will
be seen that in the very beginning of
the participation by the Uni. ed States
in the war Congress, prof1tinS by the
mistakes of her Allies, promptly pass
ed the selective draft law which COM
pels those between the ages Of Fl and
81 years 70 recognize that the rights
of citizenship involve reciprocal
duty and makes every man within
military age respond to a call to the
colors when his service is needed
within this period of six months
therefore we have seen an army of a
million men raised by the volunteer
system supplemented by the selective
draft law. This army has been rails
ed, too, by the civilian forces of the
government, and we have had the re-
markable spectacle within recent
weeks OF more than 100000 young
men mobilizing to their respective
rendezvous unaccompanied by mill
tary leaders and practically on orders
issued by the Commander in Chief OF
the Army through appropriate tribu-
nails in the different states. If the
whole army could have been raised
by this method instead of through q
resort to the volunteer system the
burdens would have. fallen with less
weight upon individual communities
and would have been more eQuitably
distributed throughout the severa-
communities in the several states, thu:
affording protection against the de-
pletion of labor, in commercial. agri-
cultural and industrial life.
Next in Importance was the ac
appropriating $640.000.0O0 for the
construction of aircraft, and later the
bill providing for the creation of the
y Aircraft Board Under these two
acts the United States with q possible
output of a few airp1anes per veal
will now, through the mobilization o.
its industrial life to the accomplish
ment of this important work, be able
to construct airplanes in sufficien
numbers to meet her own require
ments and possibly those of her Allies
as we'll II IS has been asserted IL
many quarters these machines are tt
be determining factor in the wal
America I'm prepared to perform hel
part both in the number of machines
to be furnished and in the splendid