The Washington times., 1918-04-14

The House passed yesterday the
Senate joint resolution by which the
original conscription act is made
tsubject to the pleasure Of the War
Department. under authority given
the President to call into Immediate
military service any number OF
registered men in any class or
tclasses, except those who have been
held to be absolutely exempt
The purpose, as explained by the
majority of the House Military Com
mittee, is TO authorize calling out all
of Glass 1 before invading Class
- This may be the case. Without
undertaking to decide the purpose
of the act before it is demonstrated
! in practice, il seems obvious that II
leaves all the men enrolled under
the original conscription act bound
In every way by its terms. while II
releases the War Department under
the Presidents directions, from the
restraints imposed by that act.
The English language, as used in
bills and resolutions, is not always
lintelligible Often it is not intended
| to be so. But. understanding the pur-
pose of the enactment as that Of Civ
ing srbitrary power without restraint
of law to the War Department over
so many thousand boys who know
nothing of law and politics, Messrs.
JOHN l.. BURNETT OF Alabama,
Democrat; WILLIAM GORDON OF
Ohio, Democrat, and GEORGE HUB
DLESTON of Alabama. Democrat,
voted against the bill. These are
men who have minds OF their own
and are not afraid to use them. A
/ bulldog is an admirable animal be-
cause he has courage. II you wish
to study the sort OF courage which
makes man more admirable than
/ the most admirable bulldog, you may
find il in men who. without claim
II ing superiority Of Judgment to othei
men. use their own sense of right in
meeting their own personal respOrl-
sibilities regardless OF the odds. Snch
lmen can have minds of their own
After passing the draft act, the
House took up the river and har-
tbor bill, which II will probably pass
| On Monday. As IL will carry only
little over 100000 900, while only
few OF these millions are for war
purposes, the House is considering
lit section by section with great care.
II may be harder for experts to pm
over" 1856, 900. 900 for improvements
out OF which they expect a patriotic,
though peaceful percentage. than il
might be TO secure $36, 100000 or
even 1850, 100000 for explosives,
warranted to express satisfactorily
the general American opinion OF
Prussian claims to Blut und Eisen !
supremacy Uber Allies.
During this scrutiny yesterday, !!
Mr.. Moore of Pennsylvania took oc-
casion to put on record surprise,
pain and regret. tinctured with some .
political pessimism. In this he was
assisted by Mr.. Frear of Wisconsin.
Both were on the Republican side.
They were investigating what they 1
introduced as an extraordinary effort /
to make the upper Mississippi SAFE
for Democracy. According to what
they represented as their informa-
ton, a plan is being promoted by the
Council of National Defense to in
vest 50 1850. 900 in a fleet OF boats and
barges. to test the carrying capacity /.
Of the upper Mississippi, under the
auspices and direction Of Col. Ed
ward B. Goltra, of st. Louis. II
was said that Colonel Goltra is to
have the privilege Of leasing and
the fleet IN connection
with his ore-reducing plant in st.
Louis, with a final option for its
purchase, if he finds the experiment
u
After sufficient Republican sur i
prise and regrets had been regis
tered, Mr.. Booher of Missouri was ,
applied to for information about '
Colonel Goltra. He said Colonel !
Goltra was a man Of the hig!->.
type, and in fact. was all right" I
Asked i: Colonel Goltra had "politi- l
al connections" Mr.. Boohcr seemed
to find that any one in {
congress was unaware of Colonel :
ioltra's fame as Democratic Ma |
j. nal Committeeman for Missouri s
When this was developed. it also I
developed that there was absolutely &
oo hing in the river and harhOr 7
ill except the mention of the Mis- 4: