Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-04-19
"No Compromise" Presi-
dent Insists at Confer
ence With Solons.
DENT HEADS OPPOSITION
Great Battle Over Issue Sure:
Expect to Reach Senate
Vote Today.

w Apill NbioN, Apfl is. -- inc
lines were drawn today for n great
fight between the administration and
opponents in the house of the plan to
raise an army by selective draft.
While President Wilson was at the
capitol telling senators and represent
atives that no compromise between
the volunteer and draft systems
could be accepted with safety to tho
nation the house military committee
by vote of IL to s adopted amend
ments to the administration bill au-
thorizing calls for volunteers in in
crements OF five hundred thousand
and providing that the draft shall be
applied only In the event the presi-
dent decides that the force needed can
not be raised and maintained under
the volunteer plans.
Seek u Vote Monday.
Chairman Dent headed the anti
draft force and will introduce the
amended bill In the house tomorrow
with view to pressing 1t for passage
Monday. Representative Kahn of Cal
lfornia. ranking RcpubliSn member
of the committee, Is preparing n re-
port to be signed by the minority and
Will Join In leading the fight on tho
floor for the administration.
Senate to Act Today.
The senate committee formall(
voted 10 to today to report virtualIf
without change the bill as originallf
drafted by the general staff and ap
proved by the president and will pre-
sent II tomorrow. The measure viii
be passed by the senate without walt
ing for action in the house.
The president reiterated his deter
mination to have the staff bill enacs
cd There gpes1g M dOubt thnt he WIN
appeal directly to the country.
necessary. and tell the people that in
the opinion of the military advisers OF
the government as well as administra-
ton officials, national safety de-
mands that the war army be provided
under the plans prepared by the army
experts after long study and consider
alton OF lessons learned from the war
In Europe.
Against Military Principles.
The war department holds that
every weakness of the volunteer sys-
tenn would be perpetLated under the
house committees scheme. A fea-
ture of the amendments providing
for the selection of officers from
local units is regarded by officers as
particularly obnoxious to sound mill
tary principles. They say the task
of providing competent officers un
der this restriction would be rendered
ten times more difficult and the eff
cheney of the army greatly be re-
ducod from the very start. The pres-
dent thinks that fun opportunity for
volunteers is offered under the staff
bill. since there will be room for
724, 900 voluntary enlistments in the
regular army and national guard for
the duration of the war. In addition.
the door is thrown wide open to men
-. 4
The Volunteer Amendment.
The chief amendment OF the house
committee follows:
"rhat the president be and Is
hereby authorized TO call for
100000 volunteers under and in
accordance with the act of con-
gress, approved April 25. 1914,
(army Reorganization act).
That in the event It becomes nee
esSary To- raise an additional force
of 500 600 men the presi-
dent be and he is hereby author
lied 10 call such additional force
by volunteers In the same man
ncr Such volunteer army shall
be apportioned among the vari-
Gus states and territories and the
district of Columbia according
to their population, raised in
regmental units or parts thereof
Provided. that such volun-
teer forces shall be recruited In
local units as far as practicable
and company officers may be ap-
pointed from such units upon
passing such reasonable and prac-
ticable examinations as to fitness
as the president may direct
And provided, further. that
upon the completion of the en-
rollmcnt as provided in this act
and in the event the president
decides that such additional
force or forces cannot he effect
ually raised and maintained un-
der the call for volunteers. as
herein provided, the president be
and he Is hereby authorized 10
raise and organize the same by
the selective draft as herein pro-
vidcd."
Other Amendments.
other amendments provide that any
person who feels himself aggrieved by
his enrolment or draft should have
recourse to. the courts; that when
drafted the organization or the units
of the national guard shall 30 far as
practicable retain the state designa-
tlons of their respective organiza-
tlons': that "all persons enlisted or
drafted shall so far as practicable be
grouped into units by states and tho
political divisions OF the same;' that