Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-19
LINES ARE DRAWN
FOR BITTER FIGHT
ON NEW ARMY PLAN
Antidraft Advocates Hold
Upper Hand in House
Committee.
ADOPTS AMENDMENTS TO.
ADMINISTRATION BILL
Alterations Resented by Pres
ideat, to Whom Substitute Is
Wholly Unacceptable.
TO CARRY APPEAL TO COUNTRY
Senate Committee. by 1O-to-1 Vote,
accepts ScIcctive Conscription
PrOpoSaI
ADOPTS AMENDMENTS TO.
ADMINISTRATION BILL
To CARRY APPEAL TO COUNTRY
Accepts ScIcctive CONSUMPTION
Proposal.
fBy Associated pres..i

w .NSiiiN'lo.N, HpF'l - ne ilicS
were drawn to-day fora great fight
between tho administration and the op-
Ionent. In the House over the plan
10 raise the war army by 4elective
draft
While President Wilson was at the
Capitol telling Senator's and Rcprcsen-
tatires that no compromise between
the volunteer and draft systems could
be accepted with safety TO the nation,
the House Military Committee. by
vote Of l. TO S, adopted amendments
ito the administration bill authorizing
calls FOR volunteers in increments of
100000. and providing that the draft
shall be applied only in the event the
President decides that the force needed
csnnnt be raised under the volunteer
plan.
Chairman Dent headed the antidraft
forces, and vii! introduce the amended
hill in the House tomorrow with A
view TO pressing il for passage on Mon
day Representative Kahn. of Cali
fornia. ranking Republican member of
the committee. is preparing report
TO he signed By the minority. and will
stclN III lcaulnE the NEnt OF the moor
tor the administration.
The Senate committee formally voted
10 10 to-day to report virtually with
out change the hill as originally drawn
by tho general staff and approved by
the President. and Viii present IT TO-
morrow. Tho measure may be passed
by the Senate without waiting for ac-
ton IN the House.
,f,t- T,t.,r,,,,x,,~,-r
TO HANI: Hill ENACTED
The President made very plain TO
those with whom he talked his deter
mination 10 have the staff bill enacted.
There seems no doubt that he will ap-
peal directly TO the country. II neccs-
sary, and tell the pcorie that in tho
opinion OF the military advisers Of Tho
government. as we'll as administered ton
officials, national safety demands that
the war hc provided under tho plans
prepared by the army experts after
,'onC study and consideration of les
sons learned from the war in Europe
The War Department holds that
every weakness OF the volunteer sys-
ten would he pcrpctuatcd under tho
House committees scheme. \ feature
Of the amendments pror!dinG for the
selection Of officers from local units
is regarded by officials as particularly
obnoxious Ia sound military principles.
The President thinks that full op-
portunitcs for volunteers is offered
under the staff bill. since there will
he room for $4,000 voluntary enlist
mcnts in the regular army and Ma
;ional Guard for the duration OF .he
war. In addition, tho door is thrown
wide open to men who arc qualified 10
become officers.
CHIEF AMENDMENTS ny
HOUSE COMMITTEE
The chief amendments OF the House
committee follow:
That the President he and he is
hereby authorized to call for 100000
volunteers under and in accordance
with the act OF Congress approved
. Apri, %. 1914 (thc army rcorganiZa-
ton act.
THAT In the event it becomes neccs-
sary to raise an additional force of
100000 men the President he. and
he is hereby. authorized to call such
additional force by volunteers in the
same manner. Such volunteer army
shall he apportioned among the vari-
Gus States and territories and tho Dis
trict of Columbia, according TO popu-
lation. raised in rcgimcntal units or
'parts thereof
provided that such volunteer forces
shall be recruited in local units as far
as practicable and company officers
may be appointed from such units upon
passing such reasonable and prac-
ticablc examinations as to fitness as
the President may direct.
"And provided further that upon
completion Of the enrolment as pro-
vided In this act and in the event the
President decides that such additional
force or forces cannot be cfcctually
raised and maintained under the call
for volunteers as herein provided. the
President be. and he is hereby au-
thorized. to raise and organize the
same by the sclective draft as herein
provided.
McI< EiLAR LATER HEARS
or WILSON'S DETERMINATION
In tho Senate committee appeal to
insert authority for the. President to
call. 100000 volunteers under existing
law was defeated. IT was offered by
Senator Mcclellan. who was among
those who conferred later with presi-
dent Wilson and heard tho ixcd resolve
of the chief executive to accept no
compromise on the army plan he has
proposed.
While Congress is Struggling with
the framing Of the law. the War De-
partment Is going steadily ahead with
it's plans to carry out the program
snapped out In the administration bill.
Every step that can be taken I'm the
absence Of the authority conferred By
T.