Evening journal., 1918-08-28
1916 DRAFT BILL
PASSED BY SENATE
Continued From First Page )

| kOonJnueQ from FIRST Page.)
and Of my convictions on this question,
| cannot bring myself to vote for the
blll.," announced Senator Gore. but
| do not wish to figure as the only man
In the Senate voting in the negative"
No Modification OF Age Limits.
The final unanimous acceptance OF
the man power bill. just as the general
staff desired it followed a series OF at
tempts to modify It's terms. There
were numerous roll calls on amend
ments designed 10 prevent drafting the
junior class. Only one OF them, the
amendment by Senator Polndexter
lWash.) TO make the junior limit 10
instead OF IS years. was voted upon in
The open Senate after the bill had left
the committee Of the whole. The amend
ment was lost, 52 TO 2i.
The defense OF the position OF the
general stan and the War Department
In insisting upon the draft age limits
being as finally set forth In the bill was
presented by Senators Chamberlain
tOre.l, chairman OF the Military Com
mittee, and Hitchcock (Neb.). Senator
Chamberlain admitted that only the
great exlsency Of the war and the op-
portunity 10 strike the crushing blow
within the next twelve months Justified
the great scope Of the proposed draft.
THE step that the Senate Is about
to take is a serious one" said Senator
Chamberlain. II know that the taking
Of young men from their homes and
sending them TO the battle front touches
the heart OF every man, woman and
child In America, and nothing in the
world except what seems 10 me 20 be a
necessity would lead me to vote 10 do
that: My principal object in rising Is
that there may be no misunderstanding
about the course suggested in this bill.
Secretary Baker Misunderstood.
There has been more or less OF mis-
understanding about what the Secre-
tary OF War proposes 20 do" the SEN
ator continued. Under this bill the
President has the power 10 divide these
young men into classes and In that way
retain the is-year-Old men in this coun-
try a little longer than he might re-
tain the older ones. But that Is the
beginning and end OF his power. and
there Is no reason for any Of us 10
misunderstood what the purpose OF
the War Department Is.
"That Is why say that shall not be
a party 10 misleading the American peo-
pie with reference 20 these young men.
Whatever may have been said on the
side by the distinguished Secretary OF
War. whatever may have been said on
the side and in some desultOry CONVEX
satlon by the Chef OF Staff, the record
shows what they intended TO do and
the record made by Mr.. Baker before
these committees showed what he in
tended to do and that Is what ! intend
10 do when I vote 10 take these young
men OF IS. vote 20 do it because
believe that in the emergency which
confrOnts us II we intend TO win this
war we must set these young men
over 30 the front and get them there
as soon as they can possibly be sent
and sufficiently trained"
At this point Senator Chamberlain
read excerpts from Secretary Bakers
testimony before the House Committee
and then he commented:
There Is not any equlvOoatlon about
that language OF Mr.. Baker and the sub
stance OF it IS contained in the Senate
Military Committee hearings.
I'm other words, 70 Is the purpose Of
the War Department 90 have these
young men over there by June 80, 1919.
Now, it is immaterisl 20 me how the
Senator's vote. shall vote because
believe the necessities OF this war re-
quire these young men there. That is |
the first thing that induces me 10 do Il /
now and the second because I believe /
the young men make the best soldiers
after all.
II do not propose TO sit hero and |
have the impression go abroad that this
bill which affects the whole life Of the
republic and every home in it--that the
country shall be deceived as TO what
the purpose OF this bill Is.
III 70 passes, every man between
these draft ages, between IS and -.
may be called by The Both Of June next
and only the President has the power