The Washington herald., 1918-08-13
SENATE WILL
REPORT DRAFT
BILL THURSDAY
Is to IS Conscription Law
Ready to Come Out Of
Committee.
HOUSE SEEMS INACTIVE
Dent Fails to Call Special
Meeting Of Military
Committee.
HOUSE SEEMS NACTIVI

The new man power bill, extending
the age limit OF the draft from IS to
46. will he reported to the Senate
on Thursday without hindering
amendments. =.
All absent Senators were notified
yesterday that regular business will
be resumed on Thursday under un-
animous consent agreement and 1t is
certain that a quorum will be present
for the immediate consideration of
one of the most important measures
OF the war.
Age Changes Defeated.
A light was thrown on the attitude
Of the committee when Senator Kirby,
OF Arkansas, a member of the Mill
tary Affairs Committee, offered an
amendment raising the limit of the
draft age from IS to p. The pro-
posal received but one vote, that Of
Senator Kirby, and the committee is
practically unanimous in its determin-
alton to report the measure without a
change in the age limits as fixed by
the War Department.
Senator Reed, OF Missouri, also a
member of the committee and a firm
supporter OF the policy of a great
army to bring quick victory and an
end to the war. introduced the resolu-
ton to reassemble the Senate for the
consideration of the new measure. 1t
instructed the sergeant-at-arms to
notify all absent members that on
Thursday. August Is. unanimous con-
sent will be asked to vacate the
unanimous consent agreement entered
into by which most Of the members
of the Senate were given an opportun-
ity to take short vacations.
House Committee Lethargie.
The prompt action OF the Senate
In response to the urge of the War
Department which desires to set
September 5 as registration day un-
der the new law Is in sharp con-
trast to the seeming apathy of the
Military Affairs Committee OF the
House. Chairman Dent has issued
no special call to get the members
OF the committee together and the
next meeting at which the man
power bill can be brought up is
set for August 10. Its consideration
could not be asked until the fol-
lowing day and it is entirely pos
sible that the bill will pass the Sem
ate before 1t Is even brought up for
consideration in the House.
Strike Amendments Ready.
There are two important amend
ments designed to prevent strikes
in war work which are under con-
sideration. one by Senator Thomas
and the other by Senator Reed
They are favored by the committee
and will be adopted unless it be-
comes evident that such an amend
ment would work to delay passage
of the bill in either House of Con-
gress.
Senator Reed. during the discus
sion. warned of the necessity for
a large army.
IF there is a disaster in Europe"
he said. I'VE have 10000 of our
men there without any means of
getting them back. The die is ire
vocably cast and we must either
win this war or We must suffer a
national humiliation and disgrace
that will turn back our progress
for at least a century OF time.
Senator Chamberlain wound up
the discussion by saying the task
before the nation should not be
minimized. and called attention to
an article in the National Review
published in London for July. 1918,
in which 1t was estimated that Ger
many can mobilize 2S,000,000 troops
in 1918 and 1919 as compared with
20,O00.000 with which the allies can
confront them.