The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-07-06

aid Russia and rid her of her Teuton
conquerors. President Wilson de-
clared himself for peaceful, not force
full intervention, and it is probable a
commission of distinguished men, per-
haps including representatives of all
the allied nations, will be sent with
offers of assistance and powers to ar
range plan of cooperation. Keren-
sky, who appeared Unexpectedly in
London on his way to America, is con-
fident Russia will soon rejoin in the
fight against the central powers. He
and other Russian leaders, however,
agree that the country will not toler-
ate foreign intervention in its internal
affairs. 1t is economical and financial
aid that Russia needs, and needs at
once.
The Germans in southern Russia
are making their way toward Smol-
ensk, probably en- route to Moscow,
despite the protests of the bolshevik
foreign minister. They also have
landed strong force at Poti. on the
eastern coast of the Black sea.
In eastern Siberia General Semenoff
and his anti-bolshevik army. after
having been driven across the Man
churan border, are again advancing
because the forces opposing them
were ordered to the protection of
Irkutsk.
Germany is now receiving some food
supplies from Ukraine, but these are
mostly from the German army COM
Ssmis$ariat which buys them from the
peasants at exorbitant prices.
Ma
Secretary of War Baker seemingly
changed his mind suddenly about ex-
tending the draft age limits, for last
week he and General March, chief of
staff, appeared before the senate COM
mittee and agreed in urging that Leg
| islation to that end be postponed until
the fall. AT that time, they said. the
war department would be able to sub
| nit vast program for army enlarge
ment, and would know how many sol
diers could be transported overseas
and how far 1t would be necessary to
extend the draft to obtain the num-
| Der of men required. Provost Marshal
| General Crowder said he still believed
Immediate action necessary, but be-
| gr,s nj n c,1h ta ha hound IN
| the decision of his superiors. The
| senate committee, which had agreed
| on twenty to forty years as the new
draft limits, voted to defer action.
This provoked storm of protest
In congress, chiefly from Republican
leaders who declared the delay was
| another evidence of the adminlstra
| tons procrastination and devotion tC
unpreparedness. The Democrats prom
Used action in September and said
| there were enough men In class l tC
meet all requirements until then. TIC
show that there is no need for imme
| diate action Senator Hitchcock said
1.-THE information given to the com
| mittee Is, in substance, this: THAI
when we have exhausted all available
| men in class l Of the present draft we
will have an army of 100000 men In
August. In addition, there will be
about 100000 Canadians that we will
bring into the army as the result Of
the treaty just ratified, so that we will
then have an army Of 3,450,000 men
| Now, the highest estimate of the mum
| Der of men we can have in France al
that time is 1,450,000, so that we will
have In this country when this con
| gress reconvenes after its proposed re
cess In September over 100000 men,
| -
| On Thursday the drawing Of mum
bers to determine the order In which
1 youths Of the class Of 1918, about 744,
| 500 In number shall be called to thu
| colors was conducted In the senate of
flee building, with much of the cere
mony that marked the first drawing {
| year ago. Secretary Baker, blindfold
er, drew out the first capsule, with thu
number 246 inclosed 1t was neces
sary to draw only 1900 numbers. The
| new registrants will be placed at the
foot of the lists In the classes to which
they are assigned by their boards,
Ia
The senate agricultural committee
disregarding the advice of many prom
inent persons, adopted the amendment
to the $11,00O,000 emergency agricul
tural bill providing for national pro
4 hibition after June 80, 1919, and dur
ing the continuance Of the war.
-n-
On Monday the house passed thu
i S5,500000,000 Notifications BILL ant
the senate passed the $3,300.000.0 0t
sundry civil bill containing about 81,
0O0000,000 more for the shipping pro
gram.