Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-04-19
WILSON UNABLE
TO PUSH DRAFT
PLAN THROUGH
Military Committee Of Lower
Chamber Refuses to Approve
Conscription Feature Of
the New Army Bill.
FAVOR VOLUNTEER FORCE
President at Capital in Interest
of Compulsory Scheme While
, Action Is Taken.
DENT EXPLAINS POSITION

Washington, April lS.--Opponents
of the selective eonscription plan got
the upper hand in the house military
committee today, voting II to 8 to
have the new army bill carry pro-
vision to first try to raise the new
force by volunteers.
Meanwhile the bill, including the
conscription provision, was approved
by the senate military committee, 10
to 7,
While the two committees we're
acting, President Wilson was at the
capitol conferring with senate leaders
on the administration war measures,
particularly the army bill.
Mcclellan Amendment Rejected.
The senate committee rejected an
amendment by Senator McKellar au-
thorizing the president to call for
500Q00 volunteers and made only .
few changes in the bill as drawn by
the army general staff.
One amendment would bar liquors
from all camps where the new army
is to be trained, and another would
include persons engaged in industries
exempted from service on account OF
military reasons.
The president told senator's he
would consent to no compromise be-
cause the War department. experts,
after Careful examination and discuss
sion, had decided that selective con.
scription was the only effective way
Of raising strong army.
The president was assured that the
majority Of republicans in the house
were supporting his plans.
Situation In Confusion.
The vote in the house COMMITTEES
threw the situation into confusion.
The opponents of a straight COM
seription plan Immediately began to
draft amendments in the hope of get.
ting the modified conscription element
to join in a united vote.
Chairman Dent and Representatives
Field, Shallenberger, Anthony, Cald-
well and Hull of Iowa conferred over
a plan to use conscription after a
call for volunteers apportioned
among the. states to be offered in
the same way as proposed in the adj
ministration bill.
The house committees action was
straight out decision for the prin-
ciple of volunteer system first OF
all, applying both as to filling up the
ranks of the regular army, the Ma
tional Guard and the raising OF the
new army. ts
But when the volunteer system
fails to provide sufficient numbers of
men the president would have au-
thority to resort at once to selectivc
conscription. 8
Dent Explains House View.
Chairman Dent made this states
mcnt:
"The committee agreed to put in
the bill provisions for call for 500,-
600 volunteers in the first instance
and for 0e,000 men more if the presi-
dent wants the number in each case
contemplated in the administration
bill for conscription.
"Thc committee has not yet fixed
the military age, but it probably will
be between 2l and 40, instead Of the
l9 to rs. as contemplated in the adj
ministration measure. The president
is authorized to proceed with the en-
rolment of registration of men be-
tween the military ages Immediately
and on completion of that enrolment
and registration the president is an
thorized to decide which he will pro-
ceed with, the volunteer or draft sys-
TENS. But meanwhile the volunteer
system will have been in operation
and the volunteers will be coming
into the service in large numbers. OF
course, ON the final analysis after the
volunteer plan has been in operation
and the machinery OF registration and
(rauftnuad n, po Ttvo CnI,frars OuAi