The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-18
DENT WOULD SPARE BOYS NOT YET 4. !. FROM WAR SERVICE Offers Amendments to Bill Which Would Call All
 Older Men First
BAKER ALSO FAVORS
 PROPOSED CHANGE
No Question But That Congress Win Enact Any Legislation Desired by Administration, Regardless of
 Opinion of Congressmen
By HUGH ". ROBERTS


 Washington, August IF. Special. If the President insists on the passage of the General Crowder bill as it is written, in a very short space of time every male individual
 between ages of Is and 45 will he subject to the operation of the draft.
 Up to the present time. however. the President has not declared that he will insist on the passage of the Crowder bill as originally presented. Strong repre- sentation in Congress stands against the indicated desire of the government to force into military service bows of 1s u-h., have not voted and who cannot legally express Themselves as to any pertinen. issue.
 STATE SENATE The Senate committee on military af- ralrs has already acted. This committee has not only indorsed what Genoraj Crowder asked. but has given more tnAn vas asked. It has incorporated in the administration bill the Thomas proyi- sion under tho authority of which labor may be drafted into service wbeney.r labor sconten,plates cessation of work on acc 'uns of differences between ern- ployer and ernploye. The House commit tee on military affairs has not given the bill even preliminary consideration Rep. resentatiye Dent of Alabama, chairman of that committee. mindful of the agree ment entered into between democrats ana republicans to refrain from any positive action until August 1a, yafussd to call nis committee into ssxsiou prior to August ls. Of this delay papuhiican newspapers nave made considerable gosEp. desn.ts the Knowledge that tho bill will be en- acted by the House before 1t viu bs a. acted by the Senate.
 DENT OFFERS AMENDMENTS
 Regarding the intention of the depart. ment to draft into service boys as young as IS years of age, there is sharp differ. ence of opinion, and members of the Ala. banla delegation are at losserheads. One of the members, MT Blackmon of the Fourth, is strongly disposed to fight the 1S-year provision. Others occupying like positions, have refrained from pub lie utterancc. Chairman Dent hesitates to accept what appears to be the desire of the administration. He has asked for a definite answer and will probably bs officially informed by Monday. Chair man Dent asked the administration to accept one or more amendments to the bill. If the admin istrtaion does accspt he will iead the fight for the adoption of the bill. Otherwise. he might oppose i,s passage The first amendment propossd by MT. Dent would require the govern ment to draf; every available man re- tween the ages of 2I ana 45 before invad- ing the ages below 21. This amendment would prevent the government from caii- ing into service boys below the ages oe 21. unless scch recourse be proved to be absolutely necessary. His second pfn- posed amendment would make subject to the draft every male individual be- tween the ages of IS and 45. Be he mar ried or single. unless it be proved to the satisfaction of the government that such individual has wife or children absoluteIy dependent upon him for support
 MT. Dent declares that the Implied in tention to relieve from service all mar ried men simply because they are mar. ried is obvious discrepancy untem pered by fairness His third amend nient would remove the disqualification iron, men below age which denies them the right tp acquire and hold ycommission& The chairman cannot reconcile himssf to the theory that the yoang, men called upon to offer thernselvee for the servics of their country are not qualified to com pete with older men likewise called inte service for the honors of such service.
 BAKER FAVORABLE
 In private conversation. Secretary Baker has expressed himself as favor ably inclinedsto the amendments proposed by the chairman. In all probability. how ever.,h he will discuss the subject not only with General Crowder, but with ith4 President, The opinion of the threc vii be expressed Monday. when the Secretary gives answer to the chairman.
 Irrespective 10 the result of prelim- nary activities there is no question but hat Congress will give the administra- snt time, there is opposition to ossths plan to draft boys into the military servics, Opptsitienv- cns8tke part of Congress. as a whole. and the Alsbama ielsgation.. az sssunit., of Congress. At he same time. it is remembered, that -ongress in the beginning objected to cription. but yielded by an over x he eining vote whom the Presiderit is- Ii St cd. At the shexinnIng of that ,hxht. >labamians against conscription were O.. When the vote came. however. sevAa If them had deserted their own stan- lard for the standard Of the President.
 Histery Wf1l rep<at itself in tAes
 present. contingency. If the pptss-
 dent wsnts the aAntnistrst1es hiu
 l.