The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-19
Votes. 13 to s, for Amend
ments Providing for VOL
unteer System.
PRESIDENT WILL USE
ALL POWER FOR DRAFT
Senate Committee @. KS
Administration Bill-Men
Can Volunteer Now.

Washington. April 1s.-The lines
were drawn today for great fight be-
tween the administration and oppon-
!ents in the house or the plan to raise
the war army by selective draft.
While President Wilson was at the
capitol telling senators and represen-
tatves that no compromise bSaween
the volunteer and the draft systems
could be accepted with safety to the
nation, the house military committee
by vote of l3 to s, adopted amend
ments to the administration bill au-
thorizing calls for volunteers in in
crements of 100000 and providing that
the draft shall be applied only in the
event the president decided that the
force needed cannot be raised and
maintained under the volunteer plan.
Chairman Dent headed the anti draft
forces and will introduce the amended
bill in the house tomorrow with a view
to pressing 1t for passage Monday.
The senate committee formally voted
10 to Z, today to report virtually with
out change the bill as originally draft
ed by the general staff and approved
by the president and will present it to-
morrow. The measure may be passed
action in the house.
The president made very plain &c
those with whom he talked, his de =
termination to have the staff bill en-
acted. There seems no doubt that ht
will appeal directly to the country Il
necessary and tell the people that ir
the opinion of the military advisers OF
the government as well as the ad.
ministration officials, national safety
demands that the war army be pro-
army experts after long study anC
consideration of lessons learned from
the war in Europe.
Opportunity for Volunteers.
The war department holds that
every weakness of"the volunteer sys-
tenn would be perpetuated under tho
house committees scheme. A feature
of the amendments providing for the
selection of officers from local units
Is regarded by officers as particular
ly obnoxious to sound military prin
ciples. They say the task of providing
competent officers under this restric-
ton would be rendered 10 times more
difficult and the efficiency of the army
to be built greatly reduced from the
very start. The president thinks full
opportunity for volunteers is Offered
under the staff bill. since there will be
room for 1900 voluntary enlistments
in the regular army and the national
guard for the duration of the war. In
addition, the door is thrown wide open
to men who are qualified to become Of
ficers.
Amendments also were adopted tC
strike out a provision in the bill thai
each chief of bureau of the war de.
partment should have the rank, pay
and allowance of a major general dur.
ing the emergency and stipulation
that all voluntary enlistments shall b,
in the army of the United States ant
those enlisted may be assigned to any
part Of the force not required to bt
raised by selective draft
Other amendments provided tina,
any person who feels himself ag.
;rieved by his enrolment or draft
should have recourse to the nationa
guard so far as practicable retain the
state designations of their respectiv,
| organizations. that all persons en-,
listed or drafted shall 80 far a.
| practicable be grouped into units b,
states and the political divisions o.
| he same" that all persons who have
enlisted since April /, either In th'
| regular army or national guard shal
be discharged upon the termination
Of the existing emergency; and tina
ministers of the gospel of all demon
nations and persons whose "princi
ples' or creed" are opposed to wa!
shall be exempt from draft, though no
| from doing service of q non combat
ant nature.
| In the senate committee a propose
to insert authority for the presden
to call 100000 volunteers under the ex
isting law was defeated. 1t was OF
fered by Senator MoKellar, who wa
| among those who conferred witt
President Wilson ana heard the fixe,
resolve Of the chief executive to accep
no compromise on the army plan h
has proposed.