The Washington herald., 1918-06-29
FALL MEASURE
ASKING 1910
DRAFT KILLED
Amendment Voted Down
on Request Of War De-
partment.

The Senate deferred TO the War
Departments request yesterday and
killed the Fall amendment to the
Army Bill. extending the draft age
limits from Il and 81 TO 20 and a.
The vote was 4s to IS against the
amendment Senators accepted the
recent statement of the Secretary
Of War. Chief Of STAFF and Provost
Marshal that a large army program
would be submitted In September
and the taferenoe was that at that
time the draft extention would be
recommended.
Before the Senate cast this vots,
II refused by a viva voce vote. Sen
ator Hardwick's amendment to pre-
, vent men under 81 being used as
soldiers. Many Senators took this
as an unexpected Indication that the
Senate would not actually oppose
! lowering the draft age A some
what similar amendment by Sena-
tor Sterling. OF North Dakota. pro-
viding that youths under 81 should
not be called except for training
purpose was likewise defeated on
viva voce vote.
New Amendment on Tapis.
Senator New. Of Indiana, threw
his amendment for universal mill
tary training OF boys from 20 to 81
on the tapis. This was also defeat
ed, but not until Senator Warren. Of
| Wyoming. father-in-law Of Gen
! Pershing. had said the New amend
ment would cloud the issue. because,
he asserted,
1--WE should not enact a law and
have to follow IL with another. and
We should get the best actual fight
ing army possible, and that is
formed of men OF Is to IS.
There Is no use in handling this
matter with kid gloves. We must
stop trif1ing. The differences Of
opinion here show We are not ready
to deal with the matter. Let's set
| tie It later with a wide age limit"
A rumor spread about the Capitol
that the President would favor uni
/ versal military service when the en-
larged army program was presented,
Brandegee Chips In.
An attempt was made by sena-
tor Brandegee to set the age limits
at IS to 40.
why not vote now and stabilize
the natter" he asked. The men
need not be drawn"
Lets have a yea and nav vote. s.
urged sentaor McCumber. of North
Dakota.
TT would not show anything. for
Senators who might ordinarily vote
for II might now how TO the War
Departments wish" said Senator
King, of Utah.
'I want the views OF the Senate
Inn the draft age, not the views of
Nhe War Department" replied Nc
Cumber.
The Brandegee amendment was lost
by 81 to 9, only Senators Brandegee
McCumber, Nelson. New, Penrose
Sherman. Wadsworth, Warren and
Weeks standing steadfsst by Il. Ono
of these, Senator Weeks, later made
an unsuccessful attempt to raise the
limit to IS years.
Amendments to Army Bill.
Two amendments passed TO the
army bill were, first. that collegt
education should not be necessary tc
aviators. and second, that men vhc
had taken out FIRST papers, yei
claimed immunity from the draft
should never become American citi'
zens. Neutral governments have pro
tested that some OF their citizens
who had taken out first papers here
had been drafted, and in some in
II stances killed.
Those who have merely taken ou'
J first papers are not yet our citizens
we may have q heavy bill for dam
ages from neutral governments" ssit
Senator Hitchcock, chairman Of th'
Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator McCumber. Of North Da
kota, begged for an army Of 50oooc
and a draft extension, and crfticise'
the Secretary Of War for "cominl
back from the war zone with hi
, usual complacent smile and reportini
everything all right" Senator VIII
Jams, of Mississippi. made an acri
, monious reply. While he was speak
, , ing every Republican left the cham
ber to return later upon qaorur
call
4 Veto on Fan Amendment-
r The vote upon the Fsn amendmen
} was as follows: -y
: Against
vi Democrats = Ashurst, Bsnkheaf
| Beckham. Chamberlain f1etche
eesMEzRa Rak.AAA AeA