The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-04-13
FROM SENATOR FLETCHER
Corrects the Rather Loose Account Of
His Policy Given By Some
Careless Correspondent
Washington, April 10, 191s.

Washington, April 10, 1913.
Editor: Please allow me to correct
an error into which you have been led
by some rather loose comment IN
some newspapers about my attitude
on the bill to bring those WHO have
reached 21 years of age since June
5th, 1917, within the provisions Of
the Selective Service Regulations.
On Tuesday, March 26th, the Sem
ate had under consideration S. j. res
olution 124, providing for the regis
tration for military service of all
male persons. citizens of the United
States or residing in the United
States, who have since the 5th day Of
June, 1917, and on or before the day
set for the registration by proclama-
ton by the President, attained the
age of 81 years. in accordance with
such rules and regulations as the
President may prescribe under the
terms of the Act approved May 18th.
1917" etc.
It was very important that the res
! olution pass without any delay what
| ever, because we should proceed i'm
mediately with the registration and
draft. There was no opposition of
any consequence to the resolution. It
would have been disposed of in FIVE
minutes standing alone. Senator
New had offered an amendment pro-
viding for universal training and SER
vice-the training to begin at 10 years
of age and the service to begin at 21
That brought on discussion.
/ desired to have the resolution
passed and have the subject covered
by the amendment presented in some
other form or on its own merits at
some other tine. I arose to appeal
to Senator New to withdraw his
amendment in order that we might
promptly adopt the resolution. In
support of my contention that the res
olution demand immediate action,
whereas the subject covered by his
amendment could woit, I said that we
needed men right now, and under his
laIiendment the men included in it
would not be available for two years
TO six months-the earliest and old
est sometime after six months, and
others, now nineteen, after two years.
| None of them could be registered and
available until after training Of not
less than six months each year. ]
pointed out that objection would be
urged that boys 10 years of age should
not be taken from the farms and the
industries six months each year in
order to prepare them for service as
| far off as two years hence. / then
said our great need is present and
immediate, and we ought to get in the
men now available without. min
ute's delay-that the story of the war
NAV be largely told in six months.
Extract from Congressional Record
of March 26th, 1918:
"Mr. Fletcher: Mr.. President, | pre-
sumo it is useless, but / most sincere
ly wish the senator from Indiana
| (Afr. New would withdraw his
amendment and let us proceed with
this joint resolution. 1t is a very i'm
portant measure. Everything Is de-
pending now upon this legislation.
We ought to go on with it and we
ought to complete it. We have not an
unforgiving minute to lose, and this
proposition does not affect the con-
duct of this war. It does not meet the
present conditions at all. Under the
! very provisions Of the amendment the
boys who are brought into training
must continue this training for two
years before they can register and
be available as part Of the army. This
war, in all probability, will end very
much within that time. II fact, my
own judgment is that the story win
be told within the next six months;
and this amendment does not bear
one particle upon the conduct of the
present war, inasmuch as it does not
make available single man, it does
not train a single man that can be
used in this war.
There is no use to bother with this
now. 1t does not deal with a perma-
nent policy of the government. 1t is
a policy which can be settled and de-
termined, as | said, a year from now
just as well as now, and there is no
occasion for insisting upon this
amendment on this join resolution,
which is highly important that we
should enact this day"
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