Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-15
LABOR AND THE DRAFT
Is the Senate Sneaking Big Stick Into the
New Army Bill?

from the galleries. The Senate, ike the
House, has often exhibited dazzling foot
work in eluding issues that seem to IN
vite unfavorable reactions of general SEN
timent. The committees thrust their in
herited troubles upon the President and
flee to the trees.
1t isn't surprising therefore to find the
new draft bill containing some loose ends
and antiquities, evasive where it should
be definite, murky in those clauses that
should be most clearly phrased and re-
verting, in crucial provision, to the
discretion of the President"
To scrutinize this epochal measure in
its present form is like scrutinizing fog.
Objectives, aims and purposes are not
plain. Approximately 100000 addi-
tional men will be made available for Sc
lective service under the bill. 1t is COM
monty understood in the Senate and in the
House that the War Department hopes
to have 100000 men in France next
summer. "The rest" vaguely say those
who prepared the new draft bill, will
be in camps and in general training"
The actual uses to which "the rest may
be put are not clearly indicated in any
plan so far made public either by the
War Department, by Congress or by the
President. Speculation is, therefore,
made imperative. And speculation, in
this instance, doesn't lead ones mind into
pleasant fields.
Obviously one of the purposes of the
new draft bill is to eliminate waste, idle
ness and lost motion in the war indus
tries. This is apparent in the sweeping
clause which provides that any man in
a war industry who does not continue to
work will automatically be drafted for
service with the colors. "The President"
reads the amendment introduced by Sena-
tor Reed, of Missouri, "shall make regu-
latons for enforcing this provision!
The President. of course, since the
courage of the Senate committee appears
to hare r1tn ont 1Uhen it copied this nice
detail of discredited English legislation!
At one stroke the Senate committee has
left itself open to indictment not only
for amazingly bad taste, but for cow
ardice as we'll 1t was not content with
implying that the military service is to
be regarded as a penalty provided for
idlers and wrongdoers. 1t whitfield big
stick for labor, yet it lacked the courage
to fully reveal its handiwork! The Reed
clause is an apparent attempt to shuttle
this club secretly into the hands of the
President.
Did Mr.. Wilson himself anticipate such
course? Did he seek or does he well
come the power which Mr.. Reed, of Mis-
souri,, would provide for him? Since Mr.
Reed frankly dslikes Mr.. Wilson, it may
be assumed fairly that he seized the oc-
casion to kill two birds with one stone
to evade a decision which he and his con-
ferees should have made under their own
authority and to add little more of con-
fusion to the Presidents tasks.
We are, so far as the industrial side
of the war goes, muddling through, sure
enough. There is an appalling waste OF
time, money and energy in the wal
preparations. 1t may seem to those who
must bear the brunt of responsibility ir
Washington that the correction of some
of the apparent evils by force of the
draft laws is logical enough.
But it isn't logical. 1t is, perhaps, The
most dangerous suggestion made n
America since the aUar began.
If the President or the Secretary Of
War or any member of Congress Oh
anybody else supposes that such prof
ect would be other than subtly disas
trous he is cherishing a delusion.
At ann cost the nation must keep tht
military function and the imdustria
function of the 1Uar, and the laaos govern
ina the one and the other, separate dnt
forever apart. 1t must permit no him
or suggestion of interaction betWeen leg
islation devised for the development o.
the military establishment and legisla
ton devised for the direction and de
relopment of 1Oar industries. If it Il
necessary t,r the Development of tn.
arnay to classify, register and make avail
able for the draft all men betUeen th,
ages of eighteen and forty-fve, or be-
t1oeen eighteen and eighty, no one 1oil
ask any questions.
But if behind the draft bill there i
some veiled intention to give the Admin
istration or any of ats department Ohip
hand over labor in the ,Oar industries, OF
an intention ultimately to apply anything
of military regulation and discipline t.
aVorkers, then it must be admitted tha
qve are adventuring into perilous fields.
Any plan for the conscription of labo
involves an affront to the whole spiri
of the nation and a violation of tn
rights of all men. 1t was upon such al
issue that England was almost split il
two in the early days of the war, whel