The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-24

Washington, Aug. 23.--An over
"hciming majority In the house
today decided that the draft age
limits of eighteen to forfy-five
should be adopted for the new
inan-power bill as recommended
oy Secretary Baker and the gem
erai stan. Every amendment In
tended To favor the boys of eigh-
Teen and nineteen was dccisively
beaten.
congressman voted 10 include
themselves In the draft by adopt
ing with cheer an amendment
ny Representative Gregg. of Texas.
! 10 make every legislative and
executive official of the United
states government and of the state
governments able TO service
An amendment to take In all
aliens who are subjects OF any of
> the countries associated with this
country In the war was also
adopted
Final action on the bin was
blocked by Republican members,
who precipitated an amendment
To draft all the clerks employed
on war work In the government
departments. Chairman Dent I'm
charge of the bill pleaded In vain
tAAht tiF OF huCn
amendment would absolutely de-
stroy the efficiency of the war de-
partment, the shipping board and
other departments doing war
work. He was finally obliged to
ask to have the final vote on the
biu put over until tomorrow. In
spite OF the fact that IL had been
hoped by the war department. and
all those vitality interested In the
success of the new draft TO have
the bill passed today
Practically the entire day was spent
in the debate on the Mckenzie amend
ment TO classify the boys of eighteen
and nineteen so that they would be
the last 10 be called into service Mr.
Mckenzie was the principal speaker
IN support Of his amendment although
ne was assisted by Chairman Pou, of
the rules committee: Connolly. OF
Texas, Fairfield. OF Indiana; Gordon.
of Ohio. and others Tilson. of Con-
nectieut; Longworth and Fess. of
onio, and Cannon, OF Illinois, were the
cnfet speakers against 1t
During the debate on the Mckenzie
amendment the most dramatic in
cident OF the session occurred. when
Representative Albert johnson. OF
Washington, violent opponent OF the
conscrtptton Of boys OF eighteen
brought 10 the bar OF the house two
young pages dressed in the full &C
coutrements OF the soldiers under
which they visihly staggered John
son declared both the boys were over
eighteen and introduced them as "hor-
riole examples of what would happen
pr all the youths OF that age in the
country should he taken
Startling Come Back
Then came the startling denouemert
to Johnson's exhibit. Tilson. of Con-
necticut. taking the floor and calling
upon four young marines who were
seated IN the gallery to stand and
show themselves to the house as
samples of what the boys OF eighteen
could be. The applause that greeted
the appearance OF the marines were
deafening. Ttlson added 10 the erec-
iveness OF the scene by charging that
Johnson had selected for his exhibit
boys who were not up TO the standard
Of the average American youth of
eighteen years.
Later in the day. Conneliy, Of Texas.
insinuated that Tilson had planted"
the marines in the gallery for the pur-
pose, but Tilson only smiled at this
statement and allowed It to pass un-
noticed
The long debate failed to shake the
strength OF the large portion of the
house membership which favored the
original bill. IT was after o'clock
when the debate ended and the house
was ready for a vote.
First came an amendment by John
son. of Washington to make the draft
ages nineteen TO forty-fve. This was
defeated by the vote of 90 to ia Next
was vote on an amendment offered
by Blackmon. OF Alabama, to change
the ages to twenty-one to forty five.
This was turned down by the vote OF
~ to 1914
Then came the vote on the McKen-
zie amendment. which was rejected
by the vote of 100 to 1877. The result
was so decisive that no one asked for
a roll call. Among those who voted
for 1t were Speaker Clark. Majority
Leader kitchin. Taylor, OF Colorado:
Alexander, OF Missouri; Garrett. of
Texas; Fields, OF Kentucky; London.
of New York: Bankhead, of Alabama:
Pou, Of North Carolina: Dent. of
Alabama: Helfin. of Alabama; Gar
rett. of Tennessee: Chandler, OF New
York, Mckenzie, of Illinois; Shallen-
berger of Nebraska; Johnson, OF
Washington; Porter. OF PENNSYLVANIA
Mondell. of Wyoming; Stafford of
Wisconsin; Good. OF Iowa; Wood OF
Indian: Little, of Kansas Dennison.
of Illinois; Campbell. of Kansas; Fair
field, of Indiana. Focht, OF Pennsyl-
vania; Gordon. OF Ohio; NORM. of
Pennsylvania; La Toilette. of Wash
ington. and Saunders, OF Virginia
Johnson. OF Washington, then moved
to raise the draft age from forty-five
to fifty and this was defeated by the
vote OF lis to 1853
McCulloch, of Ohio. was author Of
the amendment to include all aliens
in the draft insofar as this could be
done without interfering with existing
treaties. The amendment was adopted
by the vote of 1923 to "a, and was as
follows.
Aliens 10 Be Drafted.
mo alien who is a citizen or sub
ject of any of the countries co-bel-
ligerent with the United States in the
present war shall, unless contrary to
existing treaties, be granted exemp-
|tion from military service or placed
in deferred classification under the
provisions Of this act, solely on account