The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1918-09-04
WASHINGTON NOTES
Bomb-PrOOfers Get BY.

eOiiy h1tPSs NoPt'iii wi
respondence) the house of re-
representatives. had the new draft law
under consideration recently, Repre-
sentative Madden, of Illinois, offered
son employed in any of the executive
departments of the government, gov
eminent establishments, boards or
commissions shall be exempt by reas-
on of such employment from military
duty under the provisions of the act.
This amendment, which would place
government employees on the same
basis as private employees so far as
exemption or deferred classification is
concerned, was promptly opposed by
the democratic leaders, quite likely for
the reason that the departments have
been loaded up with democrats in the
past five years. The amendment of
fered by Mr. Madden would not pre-
vent department from securing de-
ferred classification for a man whose
services are absolutely essential, Just
as a man in private employment can
be given deferred classification for the
same reason, but it would put private
and government employees on the same
basis.
The purpose of the amendment was
TO draw out of their bullet-proof Jobs
many able-bodied men of draft age
who have been occupying government
positions in Washington or travelling
over the country, while other men not
so favored are drawn into the army
and sent to France. In support of his
amendment, Mr.. Madden said, re-
plying to a member who declared the
proposition absured:
81 believe every man, whether he is
employed in the government office or
not, ought to take the same respon-
sibility in the present emergency that
every man in every household in the
land is compelled to take. The adop-
ton of this amendment would be
neither absurd nor ridiculous. Its con-
sideration is a proper matter for the
house. 1t is presented in good faith.
1t provides that no person, simply be-
cause he is employed in an executive
branch Of the government of the Unit
ed States. shall, as the result of that
employment. be exempted from mill
tary service under this act. Is thai
absurd
SIS it absurd to say that because
some man has sufficient influence to
get on the government pay roll he
ought not to be exempted from mill
tary duty?
I'VE already have the example of
the heads Of these executive branches
of the government asking for the ex-
emption of their pets, their employees
The secretary of agriculture request.
ceived at heis own request deferred
classification for 2,l3O men on his
pay roll.
The Secretary of the Navy in the
Offices here in Washington alone. re-
eeived his own request deferred
W sAbouN DbO men. Other
branches Of the government. all these
departments, have hidden away behind
the bullet-proof line men whose peo-
pie have had sufficient influence To get
them ON the government pay roll
while my boy and your boys and the
boys Of the widows of America are
over in France on the battle line
(Applause.) There is no reason why
they should not be put on the same
plane with every other American
They will be entitled to their exemn-
lions for family obligations, for physi-
cal defects, and for other reasons that
men are entitled to exemption for
But under no circumstances should the
mere fact that they are on the gov
.ernment pay roll entitle the Presi-
dent of the United States or any other
man to exempt them from their re-
sponsibility under the military estab-
lishment. (Applause.)"
The amendment was voted down