Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-02-22
TWO REPORTS ON
SUFFRAGE BILL
Majority of House Committee
Against Representative Metz
gers Measure.
COMPULSORY PATRIOTISM.
No Opposition at Hearing ON Bill Pro-
vidfng for Drafting Young Men
into National Guard.

nio1tpcller, req. 2U-Ine Dill STdnliHB
to women of Vermont the right to vote
for presidential electors will come be-
fore the House tomorrow morning with
a majority adverse and minority favor
able report. Ten of the members Of the
suffrage and elections committee have
signed tho adverse report recommending
that the bill be rejected. while the re-
naming five members will present fav-
orable report. 1t is understood that the
ayes and nays will be demanded on the
question Of rejecting the measure.
The bill which was introduced by the
Rev. Fraser Metzger Of Randolph and
was the subject of two warmly debated
public hearings provides that every female
citizen q years Of ago or more. having
resided in the State one year next pre-
ceding general election, and who has
taken tho freeman's oath and obtained
tho appreciation Of the board of civil au-
thority as provided for men in the public
shall have the same right as
men to vote for presidential electors. Two
moro bills granting municipal suffrage
to women are still in the hands Of the
committee
MILITARY DRAFT BILL FAVORED.
The attendance at the public hearing
granted by the House committee on
military affairs this afternoon on IL Isl,
would seem to indicate that the young
men of Vermont between the ages Of IL
and % are willing to be drafted in a
last attempt to bolster up the National
Guard system which has been declared
by the country's military experts to be
obsolete. unsuccessful and fit only for the
discard. 1t is possible, however, that nc
young man appeared to oppose the meas
are thinking that the draft clause itself
would preclude it's favorable consideration
by Vermont Legislature. But il the
committee bases its report upon the opin-
ions expressed at the hearing by Adjutant.
General Lee s. Tillotson OF st. Adams
author of the bill. Colonel Herbert T.
johnson of Bradford. former commanding
officer of the Vermont National Guard
President John NJ. Thomas of Middlebury
College. until recently chaplain of the
First Vermont, and Representative George
Bond of Searsburg, a veteran Of the Civil
War. who were the only speakers Of the
afternoon, compulsory patriotism will be
exacted from Vermont's younger sons.
WHAT THE BILL PROVIDES.
The measure which was drafted by
General Tillotson provides that in or.
der that the National Guard Of Yer
mont may be organized according te
federal law and regulations Gas en-.
bodied in the national defence act) the
Governor is authorized to draft from
among tho able bodied citizens of the
county in which a National Guard or.
ganization exists or may be establish
ed. a sufficient number to supply q
deficiency in that organization exist.
ing for more than thirty days: pro.
vidnd N hn draffnI shall
not be less than eighteen nor more
than twenty-five years Of age, shall bt
unmarried and have no relatives de-
pendent upon them and shall be avail.
able for the duty required.
WHY DRAFT IS NEEDED.
General Tillotson opened the discus.
sion regarding the bill by stating thai
in order for the National Guart
they must be organized under the
rules promulgated by the federal gov
eminent. The minimum strength of q
National Guard company under the
federal law will be on July list SO men
and on July LIST. 1918. 100 men. There
are fifteen companies required from
Vermont with present minimum
strength of 65 men and the genera
admitted that half of them at thf
present time were below even this
strength. He stated that Burlington
the largest city in the State, which
should maintain n battalion, could MOI
keep the two companies. c and M
which are stationed there at the re-
quired numerical strength.
SOME CONFUSION NECESSARY.
The speaker said that he thought the
~, in, xrb1, ho Matt CI1a ri
ganizations were below strength was be-
cause Of Indifference and the fact that the
term of an enlistment is six years. The
last regulation was he said a federal one
for which the State is not to blame. He
added that the only way in which the
companies could be maintained at the re-
qured strength in peace times, there
would be plenty of recruits in event Of
war. was to have some method OF compul-
sion. In final attempt to sugar coal
tho pill. General Tillotson closed witt!
the statement. that he did not think Il
would ever be necessary to enforce the
act, the mere threat of its being enforced
would he thought drive sufficient men into
the ranks of each organization.
CALLS 1T QUESTION OF DUTY.
Col. Herbert r. Johnson of Bradford
who has been for 70 years connected with
the Vermont National Guard and was for
merly commanding officer OF the regi'
ment said that 1t was the duty of every
man to be prepared and not to ask few
men to do all the fighting. He empha'
sized the need of military training an1
said that Vermont would be Inundated
II she did not furnish the number OF
guardsmen required by the federal law.
PRESIDENT THOMAS SPEAKS.
President Thomas Of Middlebury Col
lege said that the measure was neces'
sary If we were going to support oui
military system. lie also mentioned
the east with which recruits are OBJ
tanned in war time but said that wher
the apparent need died down such q
measure as the one under consideration
would provide the constant support
needed by the National Guard. liz
thought the people of the state ought
to be thankful for an opportunity t.
show their patriotism. incidentally
the speaker paid his respects to Ger
tain insolent tyrant across the seas tt
whose demand he said this country dc
not propose to accede.
MT Bond of Searsburg told OF the re
suits OF lack of training among tht
civil war volunteers and then reae
statistics regarding the strength OF oui
regular army to show that the couh
Try needed more trained soldiers.
ADVERSE REPORT ON HUNT BILL
The Hunt liquor bill which provides
that liquor licenses except to inn-keep
e"s and druggists shall not be granted
within five miles of an institution o.
h'eher learning receiving state aP
preparation viii be reported adVersci.
'o-horrow morning by the House TEN
pcrancc COMMITTEES. The attempt t.