The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-05-01
ANSWERS MINING
on CONSCRIPTION
Dominick Explains Why He Opposes
Wilson Plan.-Says He is Anxious
to Give Boys Chance to Volunteer
Before Applying Draft.
Up. H. MCGOWAN, in The State.)

Before Applying Draft.
(P. H. MCGOWAN, in The State.)
Washinton, April &c. Congress
man Fred Dominick today sent a let
ter to Gov R. 1. Manning in reply u
one from the latter urging the South
Carolina representative to support the
administration conscription bill. The
letter, explaining why Mr DomlnlcA
opposes the presidents plan, follows:
81 am in receipt OF yours OF the
oath instant, in which you address
me as My Dear Aiken urging me 10
support the administrators conscrip-
ton bill. In reply l will say that l
shall vote for the bill as reported by
a majority Of the house committee Oh
military affairs, which allows the
privilege of volunteering, empowering
the president to reject any of those
volunteering as he may see fit; ana IN
the event that the army is not raised
bv the volunteer system, or at any
time that the president might declde
that this system will be impractlcaDle
and ineffectual, he may put into Op-
Grafton the draft system drafting all
male persons between the ages OF u
and 40 years instead of between ~
and % years as recommended oy the
staff army bill. In the meanwhile the
machinery for carrying into effect the
draft system is provided for the War
department. in the event conscription
is necessary.
Il am satisfied that if you and other
South Carolinians would read ana
understand the house bill as it has
been reported by the majority OF the
house military committee that you
and they, as true South Carollnlans'
would not be urging South Carollnas
representatives to support the DRAFT
measure proposed by the war college
which has the Endorsement OF the
president.
What He Thinks.
"I can not agree with you that e1-
perience of the past in all our wars
and also the experience of England
in the present war has shown con-
cluslveiy that the volunteer system
has failed in every instance. On the
other hand, my observation and stls.J
has been that the volunteer solder
has fought and won the victories that
have made this country what 1t is. IL
is true that conscription was resorteo
to finally in the Civil war; but debate
on this matter in congress has dis
closed the fact that those who were
conscripted in that war occupied
very small place in the picture, and IN
many cases brought shame and dis
grace upon themselves, instead OF
adding glory to the country to which
they belonged.
even England, which is pointed
out as an example and a lesson by
which we should be forced to COLI
scription policy in this country, does
not, in actual fact, prove the case as
argued by the conscriptionists. Inc
hearings on this bill before the mill
tary committee of the house and the
debate in congress disclosed the fact
that England raised 100000 or
troops before conscriptfon was resort
ed to, and that among the British
troops now in actual warfare on the
continent of Europe there is not
single conscripted man in that vast
army.
with her small comparative popu-
lation. Canada has furnished 100000
soldiers in the British army; Aus
tralia hus furnished thousands like
wise, and consumption has not been
and never will be resorted to in these
two possessions of the British en-
pire.
az can not believe that the people !
represent are willing that draft shall
be made on their sons between the
ages of 1s to 25 years until after they
have had ample opportunity to vol
unteer in whatever service they "say.
properly serve their country; whether
in the military arm Of the government
or in pursuits of peace in tilling the
soil or manufacturing her products
for the support of our people and Our
armies.
Rejects British Example.
Should the illustration as to Great
Britain's experience in the present
war on the question of conscription be
true {as urged by those favorins COLI
scription, but which the hearings re-
ferred to have shown is not true),
would remind you that we have
people different from the English
neople. Our government and our in
stitutions are different from the Eng
lish government AS to what England
and her people might do or might not
do is not argument as to what Tree
horn American citizen will do or Will
not do under similar circumstances
and like conditions. South Carolln-
ians in the Revolution, in the MeX1-