The Washington times., 1917-04-22
BAKER SETS FORTH
CONSCRIPTI0N CASE
Secretary Tells House Commit
tee Administration Can't
Accept Volunteer Plan.

Unaiterable belief OF the Adminis-
tration that the volunteer system VIII
not raise the army needed in the war
with Germany is set forth in a letter
sent by the Secretary OF War to the
House Committee on Military Affairs
just before the committee voted
against the Administration bill.
This hitherto unpublished letter is
included in the minority report on the
amended bill filed by Congressman
Julius Kahn and seven other members
of the House committee who held out
for the War Departments measure
and will fight the volunteer amend
ments on the floor of the House.
The conscription fight will open In
the House tomorrow and the Admin
istration is steadily gaining ground.
All the Administrations influence will
be brought to bear to strike to strike
from the committees army bill the
volunteer amendment offered by
Chairman Dent and Congressman An
thony.
Led by Republican.
Mr.. Kahn, ranking Republican Of
the committee. is to lead the Admins
Il alton fight in the House. Seldom has
a situation arisen where an Admins
tration measure must be placed in
charge OF a minority member.
The minority report is q vigorous
document.
1t criticises the majority for setting
up the judgment OF laymen against
that OF the military experts of the
War Department. who say that only
the selective draft will answer in the
present emergency.
The outstanding feature -he re-
port is the final appeal OF Secretary
Baker. written April Il. The Secre-
tary of War said. in part:
The drafting provision starts at the
outset a process by which the forces Of
the country can be called as they shall
be needed. according to an equal and
just system. and it has these merits:
II spreads the burden OF military
preparation equally throughout the
United States
2 1t Is certain in its operation, so
that after the registration IL made
every man In the country will know
whether he Is to be called when he
II TO be called upon ,aIlpyiBe those who
are not TO be called or whose call is
postponed. 10 continue their normal pur-
SUITS undisturbed by uncertainty as to
their duty and unagitsted by neighbor-
hood pressure or MISUNDERSTANDING.
g. II starts at the beginning of the
accumulation Of these new forces. and
has none of the character OF nenaItv
which attaches to the draft when IL ia
used after volunteering has been tried
and failed
-Four Once Soldiers.
"of the eight members OF the Mill
tary Affairs Committee signing this
minority report" says the report. /
Tour saw actual Service in the vol. /
unteer army during the Spanish-Amer- |
ican war. They have knowledge at
first hand Of the inefficiency OF the
volunteer system, and they all ioiu
In this report. protesting against the I
evils OF that system and in favor of a /.
system based on universal obligation
to service"
The eight members mentioned are /
Kahn OF California. Mckenzie of H. /
linois, Green of Vermont. OIney of I
CragO OF PennsyI. |
Vania, Tilson of Connecticut. Harri- I
York.
only Democrats on the committee
standing out for the Administration
bill.
Opposed BY PacIasts.
Members classed as pacifsts when
the armed ship bill and the war reso-
luton was passed form the larger
part OF the group OF anti-conscrip-
-ionists
or the fifty men in the House who
voted against the resolution declaring
The existence of a state OF war. only /
Ave have announced themselves in
fst or or conscriptiOn. II
TwentysiN members Of the group l
nave definitely lined up against con |
either in behalf Of the vol
Inteer system or against any incrcaS"
N the army. II
Ten members Of the group refuse to
commit themselves. and there is
possibility that two or three Of this
number will side with conscription.
Nine members OF the group were not
DOlled. Il
1ESTROYERS BADLY NEEDED