The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-04-30
Senate and House Are Over
whelmingly for 1t - Age
Question Still Undecided
Split Results Over the
Roosevelt Expeditionary
Force
PROHIBITION FOR
ALL MEN IN UNIFORM
Farmers Are Exempted by
Amendment - Vote in the
House Was 1877 to 24-In
Senate 81 to s. Debate
Brings Dramatic Passages

Washington, April 30.--By overwhem.
ing majorities both the Senate and House
passed late Saturday night the admins
tration bill to raise war army by selec-
tive draft
The final rollcalls brought into line be-
hind the bill many senators and repre-
sentatives who had fought for the yolun-
teer system until routed by decisive de-
feat of volunteer amendments earlier in
the day in both houses.
The Senate, which had voted down the
volunteer plan, so to Is, passed the bill
by vote of 81 to s. In the House the
vote against the volunteer plan was 3l3
to 100, and that BY which the bill itself
was passed was 1897 to "a
Whether Congress finally would accept
the staff's recommends tons regarding
the ages between which CONSUMPTION
should apply appeared more uncertain.
In the Senate the bills stipulation that
men between 10 and Is should be liable
to the draft was changed to make the
minimum q and the maximum n. The
House voted down all proposed changes
in the military committees recommended
tions that the limits be fixed at q and
40.
These and a number of lesser amend
ments will be considered as speedily as
possible in conference in the hope that
the measure may be sent to the presi-
dent for his signature before the middle
of the week.
Senator Harding's amendment to the
army bill designed to permit Theodore
Roosevelt to raise four infantry diyis-
ions for service in France was adopted
by the Senate, So to 81. Many Demo
Gratis voted for it. A similar amendment
was rejected by the House Friday.
The amendment does not specifically
mention Mr.. Roosevelt, but it's purpose
has been well understood and its author
referred to the fact that it would per-
NIT the former president to raise troops
to go to Europe. 1t was not discussed
at length.
The most important amendment adopt
ed in the House was one empowering the
president to exempt from the draft in his
discretion persons engaged in agricultur-
al work. Another would require each
state to furnish a quota of men appor
TONED to population and still another
provides that "no bounty shall be paid
to induce any person to enlist" and that
mo person liable to military service
shall hereafter be permitted or allowed
to furnish substitute for such service"
In the Senate there was long debate
over proposals to prohibit the sale or
possession of intoxicating liquor during
the war Several amendments were
adopted, including one to make it I'M
lawful to sell or give liquor to officers or
men in uniform or to members of Con-
gress or other officials, and then the Sen |
ate reversed itself and adopted substi- |
tute simply forbidding sale of liquor to
soldiers in uniform and giving the presi-
dent authority to make other prohibi- |
tions. In the House a similar amend |
ment was rejected on point of order
An amendment by Senator Curtis stip- |
ulating that men subject to draft who |
voluntarily present themselves shall be |
recorded as volunteers was accepted by |
Chairman Chamberlain and went into the |
bill. Another long debate was evoked |
over amendments by Senators Thomas
and LaFollette to exempt from conscrip-
ton those having conscientious objec-
tions" to military service. Both were
defeated without rollcall, and the bills |
exemption proposals left unchanged
Many of the more radical amendments
are expected TO be thrown out in con-
ference and administration leaders hope 1