Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-30
BELIEVE. COMPROMISE
ON 35 AND 21 WILL
BE REACHED
VIDE VARIANCE NOW
HOUSE WANTS MEN FROM Il TO
40 AND SENATE THOSE FROM q
TO 27 YEARS OF AGE-SETTlE
DIFFERENCES TODAY ACCORD.
ING TO REPORT
BY WILLIAM ID HASSETT.
News Service STAFF
Correspondent

by WILLIAM u tiASSEII.
international News Service STAFF
Correspondent
Washington, ID. C., April 30-A COM
| promise providing for selective draft
of males between 2l and 80 years of
age probably will be reached at the
conference on the army bill to which
the Senate and House are expected to
agree today. The chief difference in
the bills passed almost simultaneous
ly by Senate and House Saturday
night is in the age requirement. The
/ House provides Tor the draft of men
between 21 and 40 while the Senate
makes eligible for military service
men between q and 27 years.
AS the House recorded itself by an
overwhelming vote against the con-
soription of minors, the conferences
will confine themselves solely to the
question of raising the maximum draft
age. Thirty-fve is taken to be a good
middle between the House maximum
OF forty and the Senate limit OF twen-
ty-seven. When vote was taken in
the House the proposition to restore
the army general stats age provision
Of 19 and 25 years received only six
votes. House leaders declare this
means that American men and not
boys must fight the war;. @ Ass v &
Authorization of the raising of d.
vision of volunteers by Theodore
Roosevelt for service in France and
Senate provision prohibiting the sale
Of intoxicating liquors to officers and
men IN plyorm are two other differ
ences u 4 Which tie two Houses OF
Congress ( &c been divided The pro-
hibiIion amendment was lacked on tn
bill in The Senate. It will meet with
strong opposition In the House.
Support Of the Roosevelt idea was
found more enthusiastic in the Senate
than in the House. House opposition
Is based upon the conviction that il
the war Is to be conducted under the
draft principle it would be manifestly
inconsistent to make an exception in
the case of one division of volunteers
who had not special training The sug-
gestion is made Roosevelt If he is
going to the front, should 20 with an
army commission. but without author
ity to raise an army OF his own OF
varying ages and military fitness.
Chairman Dent said today that he
did not believe it would require more
than two days to adjust Senate and
House differences in conference
Three amendments adopted in the
/ House probably will survive the con-
ference. These are the Good-Austin
amendment increasing the pay of en-
listed men of the army from Sis to $50
during the war. The Lever amend
ment specifying persons engaged in
agriculture as among those whom the
President may exempt from military
duty and the Hayden amendment
which bans payment of bounties or
furnishing of substitutes to evade
military service under conscription.
Socialists to Test Strength.
Washington, April 80 The Social
istic movement, impotent for three
years will force the test OF whether
ii can get back again as vital politi-
cal force tomorrow A May day strike
has been called for Austria,
Germany and all neutral Scandinavian
officials. Here frankly say that out
come may be very important to this
country SO far as the duration of. the
European war is concerned
Officials point out that internal dis
turbances have been controlled in all
Of the nations affected because the
military has been all powerful A sue
cesstul demonstration In Sweden, how.
eycr. very probably will eyerturn the
government In Austria such deve-
opment easily might mean the count.
ar part of the Russian revolution. In
Germany it Is felt here that the only
effect will be to lay the groundworA
fer concerted movement for peace.
The greatest interest Is being takon
here in the situation and Instructions
have been sent to all American diplo-
matte agents TO keep the government
well informed of all developments.
timed today It's efforts to awake the
Meanwhile the Administration con
rank and iile of the American people
to the fact that the war situation il
serious. The President sent word TO
the senate leaders that he wanted the
military bill rushed to conference as
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