Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-20
MAJORITY VOTES
TO HOLD SESSION
TO F|GHT|NGPLANS
Caucus of House Democrats
Decides to Erlct Legisla.
tion Only Having to Do
With Conflict. 4
WILSON INSISTS ON DRAFT
Bill to Be Reported Practically
as Drawn by General Staff
and Passed Promptly.
EXPERIENCE OF ENGLAND
WILSON INSISTS ON DRAFT
EXPERIENCE OF ENGLAND

Washington, April l9.-Houss
democrats in caucus lae today
agreed that the extra session of con-
gress should be devoted exclusively
to war emergency legislation pro-
posed by the president.
A resolution to this effect was
substituted for one previously
adopted after vigorous fight, pro-
viding for consideration of the How
ard bill to permit the president to
prohibit the manufacture or sale of
liquor during the war.
Debate on the administration army
bill will begin in the house Monday.
An agreement was reached today by
house leaders and consideration of
the measure is expected to last from
two to three days. Majority and
minority reports will be filed with
the clerk OF the house on Saturday.
The house adjourned this afternoon
until Monday.
Line Up for Draft Fight.
Friends and opponents OF the ad-
ministration plan for raising an army
by selective draft lined up in con-
gress today for the impending fight
over the two systems.
In the house the military committee
was ready to report the administra-
ton measure with amendments pro-
viding for calling volunteers in incre-
ments OF 100000 each and authorizing
draft only when the president de-
cides the volunteer plan is not ade-
quate to produce the army desired.
An attempt probably will be made to
press the measure for passage Mon
day.
In the senate the military commits
tee had voted ten to seven to recoin-
mend the administration bill virtually
as i was drawn by the army general
staff. This was to be reported today
and it may be passed by the senate
without awaiting house action.
President Wilson was still deter
mined that the selective draft plan
should prevail and il seemed probable
that il necessary he would APP
peal direct to the people on the
ground that the nations safety de-
pends on prompt enactment Of the
general staff bill.
Kahn Will Lead Fight.
Preparing to lead the fight in the
house for the administration bill, Rep
resentative Kahn, ranking republican
of the military committee, conferred
today with Secretary Baker.
&c NJ, K,h.. ....tf
sent in his minority report a letter
from Secretary Baker sent to Chair.
man Dent two days ago in final ef.
fort to get the committee to approve
the administration plans, which OUT
lines clearly the purpose of the mill
tary experts to provide places for
10000 individual volunteers in tho
expanded regular army and National
Guard and their reasons for distrust.
ing any scheme for taking into the
service complete volunteer units as
proposed by the majority Of the house
committee.
Representative Kahn will have
available also detailed study of Eng
lands struggle with the volunteer
system made by American military
experts who personally watched the
process. 1t is understood these re-
ports graphically picture the failure
of the system under its greatest test
in history and point out the costly de-
lay the experiment cost and the at.
tendant military disasters at the front
charged to it.
The bill as amended by the COM
mittee was introduced today by
Chairman Dent. 1t was Immediately
referred back to the committee for
the pcrfunctory report. Mr.. Dent ex-
poets TO report the bill Monday and
take it up IN the house Tuesday.