Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-22
ARMY BILL FIGHT
BEGINS THIS WEEK
Way Cleared in Senate for Unin-
terrupted Consideration
Of Measure.
TWO REPORTS GO TO HOUSE
Minority for Selective Draft: Ma
jority Urges Trial of Vol
unteer System.
TWO REPORTS GO TO HOUSE
iRv Associated Tres, !


W.\SHINGToN April 2i-rrcsid.nt
Wilson's nsh, 10 organize wartime
army. in accordance with the advice
Of tho War Department and the army
general staff. viii begin in earnest on
Monday in both houses Of Congress
In tho Senate to-day the administra-
tion bill supported by Senator Cham
b"r!ain chairman OF the Military Com
mittec, and a ma ajority Of his com
mittcc associates was formally started
on its way to. vote There was some
debate. parlia m entary tanCles were dis
uninterrupted consideration OF the
measure.
In the House, both the ma jority and
minority reports were presented by the
Military Committee. and the bill will
come up on Monday. With Representa-
tive Kahn. ranking Republican member.
leading tho committees minority fight
for the administrations plan un-
amended. while Chairman Dent. head.
inc the majority ~ tho committee
directs tho opposition urging trial Of
volunteer system before resortinC to
the seiectivc draft of the War Depar,-
ment plan. The minority report. signed
by eight members of the committee
rests for authority on letter from
Secretary Baker to Chairman Dent. de-
clarinE tho opinion that any com
promise on the departments plan
would he attended by unfortunate re-
suits"
MAJORITY REPORT
SIGNED ny TWELVE
The majority report signed by Chair
man Dent and eleven others. SAYS in
part:
THE hill authorizes. but does not
direct. the President To issue a call
for a volunteer army OF 500. .000 in the
first place. and OF an additional force
of 100000, i' necessary. under the law
now in existence.
The bill further authorizes the
President to proceed at once with the
registration of all male citizens be-
tween The ages OF twcnty-one and
forty. s provided in the plan OF the
War Department for draft.
'lt will require, according to the
testimony OF tho Secretary OF War be-
fore the Military Committee. at least
three months and probably longer u
complete. In the meantime. If the
President secs fit. he is authorized 10
call for volunteers. and upon the COM
plction Of the registration he has the
absolute power to decide whether he
Will take An army Of volunteers or
organize one by draft
Both tho volunteer and the draft
features Of the bill authorize the Prcsi-
dent TO refuse to accept either by en-
listmcnt or draft tho services OF per-
sons needed in tho industrial pursuits
Of tho country"
RiKER'S LETTER FINAL
PLEA OF MILITARY BRANCH
Secretary Bakers letter. included in
the minority request. was written as
final plea for the military branch Of
tho government in behalf Of tho admin
istration hill. IL have a deep convic-
ilon that any compromise of the prin-
ciplcs governing tho hill submitted by
the department for tho raising Of
new army would he attended by un-
fortunate results" he wrote. The
drafting provision starts AT the outset
a process by which the forces of the
country cen bc called as they shall he
needed. according to an equal and just
system. and ii has these merits:
II. 1t spreads tho burden Of military
b''po' a'l'i 'IuailN lnfcuS nOut the
United States.
1t iS certain in its operation. so
that after tho registration is made.
every man in the country will know
whether he is Ia he called and when
he is to he called upon. allowing those
VINO arc not 10 be called. or whose call
's postponed. 10 continue their normal
pursuits undisturbcd by uncertainty as
I" their duty. and unaGitatcd by neigh
borhood pressure or MISUNDERSTANDING.
- IL starts at the beginning of tho
accumulation of these new forces, and
has none of tho character Of a penalty
which attaches 10 the draft when IL is
used after volunteering has been tried
and failed.
81 have studied every report | can
secure of the use OF the volunteer eys-
tenn abroad and i'm our own country,
and believe il Ia hc true that in
every place where il has been tried.
whatever success it has had has been
due TO Il system OF cumpulsions more
harassinG and almost as drastic as
the provisions Of a law itself"
ROTH VIRGINIA SENATOR'S
TO SUPPORT DRAFT PLAN