The Washington herald., 1918-08-14
new DRAFT TO
REDUCE STRIKE
In WAR WORK
Clause Revokes Exemption
When Essential In
dustry Stops.

The new man-power bill, as amend
ed by the Senate Military Affairs Com
naittee, gives to the government q
couragement OF strikes in war work
by the immediate application Of the
work-or-fight principle.
Under the new act, with the age
limits of IS to Is, the great majority
OF the efficient man power OF the gov
ernment will come under military con-
troll through registration. At present
the government has the power to re-
woke exemptions and deferred classi-
fication on account OF essential war
work and call the registrant to ,he
colors, but the power has been used
sparingiy and Affects but a few men
as compared with the number which
will be exempted for war work under
the new draft.
The amendment, which reads clearly
into the law what Is now largely con-
trolled by regulations Of the Provost
Marshal Generals office, was propos-
ed by Senator Reed. OF Missouri, and
was adopted unanimously by the COM
mittee.
The New Provision.
The provision OF the act, as amend
ed. permits exemptions as follows:
Persons engaged in occupations
or onrloyments found to be neces-
sary to the maintenance of the mil
itary establishment or the effective
operation of the military forces or
the maintenance of national inter-
est during the emergency; Provided.
That any person shall have been
placed in q deferred or exempted
class for any OF the reasons in this
paragraph set forth. he shall not be
entitled to remain therein unless he
shall in good faith continue while
physically able to do SO, to work and
follow such Occupation. einployment
or business. and IL he faifs to do 50.
shtu again become subject % the
draft. The President shall make
regulations for enforcing this pro-
vision"
; There may be a sharp discussion,
and possibly spirited fight on this
amendment to the bill on the ground
that the War Department asked for
no such legislation. The fact, how
ever. that the War Department has
virtually the power thus granted
under the present draft law and
regulations, and the Reed amend
ment simply puts 1t clearly in the
law. will, be urged in favor of its
adoption as a necessary safeguard.
and members of the Military Affairs
Committee believe IT will be adopt-
ed as drawn along with the rest of
the bill. both the War Department
text and the committee amendments.
The other amendments are as fol-
lows:
THE wife of a soldier or a sailor
serving in the present war shall not
be disqualified for any position under
the government because she Is a mar
ried woman.
Soldiers and sailors, regardless OF
age, shall, when they are accepted
as volunteers, or when they shall
have been drafted. be eligible to re-
ceive commissions in either the army
or the navy. They shall likewise be
eligible for admission to officers
schools under such rules and regula-
tons as may be adopted for entrance
to such schools and shall not be
barred from or Disseminated against
on account OF age.
Edseation Provided Fer.
"Any person under the age Of u
who shall have been accepted as a
volunteer or who shall have been
drafted and served in the army Or
navy shall be entitled at the conclu
sion of the present war to receive an
education at the expense Of the
United States government at approved
institutions, and the period of edu-
cation shall be equivalent in point of
time to the period by him served In
CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE.