Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-08-21
Sharp Contest Looms in Con-
gress Following Vote to
Amend Measure Deferring
Calling Youths l8 and 19,
WORK OR FIGHT CLAUSE
OPPOSED BY UNION LABOR
SeCreatry Of American Fedora
ton Declares 1t viii Give
Employers Club Over Men,
Calls It Labor ConSCription,

ts' MORNING JoupHAL SPECIAL lEAsso wIssS
Washington, Aug. 20--Both senate
and house will begin consideration ot
the man power bill, extending the
army draft age limits to Is and 45
| years Thursday The house military
affairs committee today closed its
hearings and the bill will be reported
! tomorrow with an amendment adopt
ed by vote of to Z. to defer service
of youths Is to 9 years OF age until
IAN others are called An agreement
was secured with Speaker Clark ami
with Representative Sims. in charge
1 of the pending water power bill to
give the man power act right of way
Thursday Chairman Dent of the
house committee believes It can he
passed in a single day
House Would Defer Youths.
Passage of the bill by the hous,
Thursday and by the senate by Satur-
day is planned by leaders. Contests
are expected in both branches. In
the senate debate is expected on tho
work or fight" amendment. In the
house a controversy is brewing over
| the committees amendment to defer
calling boys of 18 and 10 years. a
mandatory provision which Secretary
Baker, General March and General
Crowder have vigorously opposed
| With both senate and house commit
tees pledged to lowering the minimum
age to IS years 1t appeared the age
limits will be fixed as recommended
iby the war department
| After a stormy executive session In
which Representative Kahn of Call
! fornia led a fight which he promised
to renew on the house floor. to retain
! the administration measures provi-
sion putting the order of calls for AL
men within the presidents discretion,
the committee voted. to T. to write
in an amendment offered by Repre-
sentative Mckenzie of Illinois, repub-
lican, providing that all men 90 years
and above shall be called before those
| of 10 and IS with the 1S-year-old
| youths to be called last. The amend
ment makes mandatory what Sacre-
tary Baker has Indicated will be the
policy of the war department.
Hot Fight Foeseen
Representative Kahn expressed the
belief that the amendment would be
rejected by the house Chairman
Dent and others of the committees.
who expressed themselves as dissatis.
| fled with Secretary Bakers promise
to make regulations for a separate
I class for 1S-year- old boys and defer
| their call as long as possible. were
confident the house would retain tina
amendment. II adopted by the house
sharp controversy in conference. Is
expected as the senate bill retains tho
administration provision for executive
discretion in establishing calls.
Work or fight" legislation. Chair.
man Dent said tonight. is not con
templated by the house committee
The committee was said to take the
position that the legislation is unnec-
essary In that present draft regula-
tions protect the governments in
| terests.
| Organized labors opposition to the
work or fight amendment to the new
man-power bill extending the drafs
ages was presented to the house
military committee today by Frank
Morrison, secretary Of the American
Federation of Labor.
The bill probably will be reported
in few days.
Mr. Morrison referred to the prob
able international effect of the work
| or fight provision.
Industries Blamed.
"It would make the world and our
allies Believe our men are slackers.'
he said. 1T is not asked by the gov
ernment. which is not exercised over
the industrial conscription. Who In
asking for this legislation? Is 1t the
Colorado Fuel company or the great
steel trust ?"
He asked If, in case the amends