The Washington herald., 1918-05-01
WANTS
|BROADPOWERS
FOR DRAFTING
Cabinet Favors Measure to
Call Men as Needed Re-
gardless of Congress.
PIQUED BY DELAYS
Senate Also Acts to In
! crease Number of Sol
diers for Overseas.

i President Wilson and the Cabi,
net have prepared a surprise for
sICongress with the plan adopted
yesterday for army expansion.
II is understood to have been
decided to request an amendment
to the selective service law which
will provide the President with
blanket authority to make such
increases as the war situation
may demand now or at any future
time.
The purpose in urging such
broad powers for the Chief Ex-
scutive is to avoid the dangerous
delays caused by lengthy discus
sions in Congress every time such
measures come up.
Cheeks BY Congress.
The point is made that Congress will
still have a check on the situation
IS appropriations for equipment.
supplies and transportation must be
egislated for as each increase is
made.
Back Of the plan appears an un-
nistakable purpose to limit American
participation only to the capacity Of
Overseas transportation facilities. In
he program for immediate increases
she War Department with the CO.
operation of the Shipping Board is be-
5aeyed to have prepared another sur
9rise.
e The number of troops which can
- transported across the Atianlic
within the next ninety days is said to
5Se greater than any official of the
government believed possible one
month ago.
The only official statement obtain
able at the close Of the. Cabinet
meeting was that the plan Secretary
Of War Baker will submit to the
HouseNMilitary Affairs Committee will
be President Wilson's plan. 1t Is
Understood that immediate appropria-
lions for an increase Of more than
10000 men will be made.
Secretary Baker informed Chair
man Dent. OF the committee, he would
De prepared to appear with all details
within the next forty-eight hours.
Immense Army.
A resolution calling for the i'm
mediate organization of an army of
100000 men was intEoduced by
Senator Reed. of Missouri, offered
a bill to raise the draft army to g.
10000. and Senator Poindexter, of
ahTn~fnn inf kl
increase the army by calling into
service 100000 more men from
among those already registered.
Senator Smiths resolution asks
the Military Affairs Committee to
prepare a bill providing for the Of
hcering of the 100000 army and
the manufacture of munitions with
which to equip them. He intends TO
call up the resolution later in the
week. and will ask to havs II con-
sidered in executive session of the
Senate so that there may be free
discussion of the military problem.
The great problem now is to secure
officers for the army Senator Smith
said. I'VE can easily get the men.
but we must have the officers. That
is why l want the Military Affairs
Committee to prepare the bill as sug-
gested by my resolution.
Need Imperative.
Senator Poindexter, in introducing
his bin for an army Of 100000 men.
said that Congress should get busy
at once and get the men into the
training camps inasmuch as a year Is
needed to train the men for battle.
"An that Is necessary he said Is to
call an additional number of men
and my bill authorizes contracts and
the incurring Of expense that may
be necessary in carrying out this pro-
gram There ought not to be q day,
nor an hour lost. Destiny and op-
portunity are marching by while we
are holding conferences"