Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-08-31
DRAFT BILL TO
 PRESIDENT TODAY SURE

DRAFT BILL TO
 PRESIDENT TODAY SURE ment to enforce the law against un- ion strikers was due to executive ad- ministration and not to lack of fiat from congress, Senator Chamberlain said.
 Criticisms Made.
 Criticism of published plans of the war department for free technical and special education of the drafted youths under 21 was expressed by several senators, denouncing the act ion of the war department in taking over schools and colleges as socialis- tic.
 |. Kfrby's Report.
 Senator Kirby of Arkansas. said Provost Marshal General Crowder had advised him that only engineer ing, chemistry and medical students would be allowed to remain in col lege to complete their education.
 To .avaid re-commiting the bill, ar- rangements were made for simultan- eous enactment in the senate and house of special resolution. meet ing interior department objections to the bills provision for allotting homesteads to men under 21.
 The resolution would provide that lands of homestead rights sc granted cannot be sold or transferred until after residence upon the homesteads. This is designed to prevent specula- tion in soldiers homestead rights.
 Amendment for Farmers.
 An amendment authorizing . the secretary of agriculture to set aside $2,500,000, for the purchase of seed wheat to be sold to farmers was adop- ted.
 The bill with the prohibition amend ment, according to the plans of sen- ate leaders, is to be passed finally by viva voce vote without placing senators on erecord as to the prohibi- bitiOn proposition.
 Upon passage by. the senate, the measure will go to conference.
 Elimination of the work or fight provision was deplored by Senator Thomas, it's author, who said he con- sidered that provision as important, if not more so than any other in the bill.
 He declared that labor's demands, almost always have been granted, stimulating further demands and predicted there would be strikes un- til the public patience is exhausted.
 He praised Fuel Administrator Gar fields refusal to grant demands of United Mine Workers.
 Is Not Enforced.
 The present work or fight regula- tion never has been enforced the Colorado senator said. and he conclud- ed with a. declaration that workman who are exempted to work and fail to do their duty are traitors, stab- ping our soldiers in the back"
 Elimination of the Thomas amend ment also was criticised by Senator IMcCumber of North Dakota.
 Whats back of it al? he asked.
 "Cowardice, political cowardidce."
 There was applause from a gallery.
 Saying he meant that senators fear influence of labor organizations, he added
 Does Not Pay.
 You will find it doesn't pay to be cowardly either on the battlefront or in the United States senate"
 luG dCIlOu Ol lu0 S0udLc ,COulSI0GS was defended by Chairman Chamber lain who repeated his asedtion that the same results could be accomplish ed under the present act as under the hTOmas amendment.
 Senator Poindexter of Washington contended the amendment would make enforcement madatory while the law now places responsibility on the president.
 Senator Chamberlain said if the .ragl llations issued lby the provost marshal general had been enofrced the same resultsas sought by Senator Thomas would have been accomplish ed, but that Secretary Baker had come with interpretations of the rega- lations which virtually nullify them."
 Is Congress Big BOssg
 Senator Poindexter wanted to know if congress was not superior in author ity to the secretary of war and wheth- CT the secretary was formulating a policy which provided for the setting aside of the laws of congress.
 ''We are at his mercy interjected senator Nelson. of Minneapolis. who added that he realized this because of his failure, altho his resolution were passed to obtain information regard ing the number of swivel chair of- ficers" now in the army.