The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-05-02
CONGRESS AWAITS
COUNTRY'S STAND
ON THE DRAFT LAW
Joint Conference to Set AGE Limit
at III.
WILSON TO SIGN MEASURE
House Passes Bill by Vote of 3e7 to
"a and the Senate Approves 1t, 81
to 8-RooseveIt's Division o.
KID by Upper House.


having passed the administration Sc
lectiye draft army bill, senators and
representatives began seeking further
information from every part of the
Union as to how the nation will accept
the measure.
The indications were strong diSsat-
isfaction would develop in certain pc
culiarly cons ituted sections, although
approval Of the measure is expected
from the nation at large.
Many Approve Draft.
The first definite display Of the ma
TONS real sentiment on CONSUMPTION
is not expected to be revealed until
the drafting Of men into the army has
actually begun, probably in August.
kilograms from all parts Of the ma
ton flooded the offices of senators and
representatives, expressing thorough
approval of the selective draft meas
ure.
Plan Volunteer Amendment.
Administration leaders in congress,
including Representative Kahn, who
fathered the bill in the house, and SEN
ator Chamberlain, senate leader, admit
even with passage of the bill there still
Will be demand for volunteer army.
The signing of the bill by President
Wilson, 1t is believed, will not prevent
fresh attempts to obtain the govern
ment's consent to raise a volunteer
army Immediately.
Resolutions providing for this by
amending the draft bill already are be-
ing prepared for introduction in con-
gress within a few days. While the
great volume Of legislation now before
congress may delay introduction Of the
amendments, they are expected to
make their appearance this week.
May Be Signed Wednesday.
Volunteer proponents will form prac-
tically the entire opposition to the
draft measure. Congressional leaders
believe the opposition to conscription
Is in no way opposed to the raising of
tremendous army for war against
Germany, but is based solely on the de-
sire to rush into the field at once"
With the draft bill signed, a great
part Of the dissatisfaction is expected
to dissipate as soon as the public I'M
derstands the reasons for applying the
CONSUMPTION plan, by which employees
needed in commerce and industry
trades are kept at work.
The CONSUMPTION bill probably will
be signed Wednesday or Thursday by
President Wilson. 1t will be sent TO
joint conference of house and senate
members today for agreement on the
differences between the bills as passed
In the two branches of congress-
That the ages of conscript will be
fixed at tWenty-One to tWenty-seven
years as provided in the senate bill, is
generally expected, with provision that
the ages to be called first shall be left
to the discretion of the president.
Strong opposition exists in the SEN
ate to drafting men up to forty years
of age. This opposition, based on the
war department desires, is expected to
resist all pleas by the house members
Of the conference.
1t is declared in the senate the pro-
vision would create q bad situation in
the commercial life of the nation, as
every business man would have to go
through months of uncertainty whether
he would be called from his business.
House Opposes T. r. Plan.
Other differences are not expected
to require much time for adjustment.
Senate provision permitting Colonel
Roosevelt to organize an army division
of volunteers for immediate service in
France, and the house provision for
SIS month increase in the salaries
of the enlisted men of the army and
National Guard, are expected to be
the main points of the dissension out
side.
The house has rejected Roosevelts
plan.
Considerable speculation exists
among the allies commissioners here
as to how the American people will
accept CONSUMPTION.
Both Houses Pass Bill.
CONSUMPTION was decreed by con-
gress on Saturday night as the mill
tary means TO employ to bring the i'm
perial German government to terms
and to end the war.
Both houses spent the day and eve
ming in perfecting the bill. On final
passage the measure went through by
the following votes:
House-For, 1877; against, "a.
Senate-For, 81; against, s.
The result established beyond doubt
the determination of congress not to
resort to the old method Of volunteers.
The house went so far Friday in
its opposition to volunteers as to re-
fuse to adopt provision under which
Colonel Roosevelt might offer his IA
nous division for service.
The senate gave approval to the
Harding amendment, which will per-
nit the president to accept the Roose-
welt command.
Here were the votes taken before