The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-29
BILL LOWERING AND
RAISING DRAFT AGE
BEATEN IN SENATE
Vote Is 40 to Is Against
Fall Amendment to
the Army.
BOW TO WISHES
Secretary Baker s, Chief
Of Stats and Provost
Marshal's Desires
Conquered In.
BOW TO WISHES

w june So HS sNA" II
deferred to the war departments re-
quest this afternoon and killed the fall
amendment to the army bill. increa sing
the draft ages from twenty-one to thir-
ty-one TO twenty to forty. The vote
was ~ TO as against the amendment
Senator'S accepted the recent statement
OF the secretary of war, chief OF stat'
and provost marshal that large army
would be submitted in September. and
the inference was that at that tins
draft extension would be recommended
However. before the senate cast this
vote. 1t refused. by a viva voce vote
Senator Hardwick's anne ndment to pre-.
vert men under twenty -one being used
ar soldiers. Many senators took this as
an unexpected indication that the SEN
ate would not actually oppose lower
ing the draft age. A somewhat similar
amendment by Senator Sterling. Of
North Dakota. providing that youths
under twenty-one should not be called
except for training purposes, was like
wise defeated on q viva voce vote.
Senator New. Of Indiana. threw his
amendment for universal training oi
boys from twenty 10 twenty-one into
the arena This was also defeated but
not until Senator Warren, of wyoming
father law Of General Fershng had
said the new amendment would cloud
4 the issue because.
I'VE should not enact law and
have 70 follow IL with another. and
We should get the best actual hgh.sna
army possible and that is formed OF
men Of eighteen 70 forty-hve
There Is no use TO handle this mat
ter with kid gloves We must stop
here show we are not ready 10 deal
with the matter Let's settle IL later
with wide age limit"
President May Favor.
A runor spread about the Capitol
today that the president would favor
universal military service when the
enlarged army program was present ed
but this could not he confirmed. This
however. supporters ~ the new amend
ment. said had an effect upon the vote
on their measure
An attempt was made by Senator
Bandegee TO set the age limits al
eighteen TO forty.
why not vote now and stabilize
the natter he askeds The men
need not be drawn"
lets have a yea and nav vote,
urged. Senator McCumher, of North
DakIfa.
1T would not show anything for
II senators who might ordinarily vote
for II might now bow TO the war de-
parements WISH" said Senator King,
Of Utah.
x want the views of the senate on
the draft age, not the views OF the
war department" replied McCumner'
The Brandegee amendment was lost
~ 81 TO .. only Senators Brandegee,
McCumber, Nelson. New. PeAsose.
sherman, wadsworth, Warren and
weeks standing steadfast by it. One
81 these. Senator Weeks. later made
N unsuccessful attempt to raise the
limit to SIS years,
Two important amendments passed
% the army bill were:
5 First, that college education
ahould not be necessary to aviators.
and, second. that men who had taken
out {lrst papers yet claimed immunity
rom the draft should never become
/ American citizens. This will probably
IS altered tomorrow to apply only to
che wars duration. Neutral govern
ments have protested that some OF
fYeiy citizens. who had taken out first
pApers here had been drafted and In
some instances killed.
This morning Senator McCumb Der Of
North Dakota. begged for an army of
5000 900 and draft extension. and
criticised the secretary OF war for
scoming back from the war zone with
His usual complacent smile and re-
porting everything all right" Sem
stor Williams. OF mississippi, made an
acrimonious reply While he was
/ sneaking. every Republican left the
chamber to return later upon quo
ram call