Evening journal., 1918-06-29
SENATE REFUSES TO
CHANGE DRAFT ACE
Inclusion OF Men Between
20 and 40 Years Old
Rejected 49 TO 25
ACTION OF STATE
QUOTAS DEFERRED

1
WASHINGTON, June 29.-By vote
OF 30 TO 25 the Senate yesterday defeat
ed the Fall amendment increasing chs
draft age limits TO include all mer
from twenty 10 forty years. inclusive
and agreed TO postpone any extension
OF the draft until after the War De
parlment has submitted TO Congress
It's greatly enlarged military program
This will be done within the next two
or three months.
The two 10 one majority against ex-
tending The draft at this time came
from Senators who opposed that part
OF the Fall amendment that would
have lowered the age limit by one
year. Many members on both sides
OF the Senate opposed any legislation
that would send yOung men below the
age OF twenty-one years TO war, al
though the sentiment OF the Senate
was almost unanimous for increasing
the age limit.
Just before the vote was taken an
effort was made 10 have the amend
ment submitted In two parts. one pro-
vidlng for lowering Of the age limit TO
twenty years and the other for raising
II TO forty years. Vice-President Mar
shall. In the chair. ruled that II could
not be divided. As result the entire
strength OF the Senator'S who opposed
lowering the limit but favored raising
it was cast against the amendment.
Senators Penrose and Knox. OF Penn
sylvanla, voted against the amendment.
Neither took part in the discussions.
The Delaware Senators were not pres
ent.
When the amendment was called up
Senator McCumber argued for the I'm
mediate enlargement OF the draft as a
preparedness measure. Notwithstanding
the request for delay made 10 the Sen
ate Military Affairs Committee on Wed
nesday by Secretary Of War Baker anC
General Peyton c. March, chief OF stan
Senator McCumber charged that Their
had been reckless extravagance In thi
use OF the American man-power snI
that the country Is not accomplishing
one-half what could be. accomplished
France, he said, imported Chinese labo
and there Is no reason why the Unitel
States could not do likewise.
Senator Williams. OF Mississippi. as
sertlng that Senator MoCumber had
unconsciously regarded the German as
superman, said that as an American
he resented h.
I'VE have surprised the Germans Of
every turn he said, adding that the
Germans also were surprised by the
Belglans. the British and the Serbians.
''They were surprised 10 DEATH" he
said. when they could not kick us
for the fourth time without our tight
ing back"
When Mr.. MoCumber concluded. sew
eral amendments to the Fall amend
ment were offered. but they were all
quickly voted down. Senator France,
Maryland, wanted TO call young men
OF nineteen for training. but not 10
send them TO the front until they were
twenty years OF age.
Senator Hardwick, Georgia, offered
an amendment fixing the low-age limit
at twenty-one instead OF twenty years.
Senator Weeks, Massachusetts,. spoke
In favor OF the Hardwick motion. de-
claring that young men below twenty
one years Of age are such better
lighters than the men Of forty that
there is no comparison between them"
He then offered an amendment Of
his own, fixing the age limit at thirty
lve instead OF forty. Senator Sterling.
South Dakota, then asked that the SEN
ate vote 10 train young men between
twenty and twenty-one years OF age,
but not 20 send them overseas until
they are twenty-one.
After that amendment had been re-
jeoted Senator Warren, Wyoming, de-
clared that he favored fixing the age
limits at eighteen and thirty-nve years.
Senator Brandegee, Connecticut, intro
duced an amendment TO that effect but
IL also was defeated.
I'VE should stabilize the draft now"
he urged. The country is entitled 10
know now what the new basis for the
draft age viii be. II the men between /
or twenty and thirty-fve. |
forty or forty-Ave are 10 be subjected |
to the draft, they should have time TO
make their preparations. We are max
ing a mistake In flirting with II now
and waiting until after the recess"
Senator Pomerene then asked that |
separate votes be taken on lowering |
the age limits and on raising them.
Only two Democratic Senators( VIII |
liams, OF Mississippi. and johnson, Of
South Dakota, voted for the amendment. |
The Republicans. however. were almost /
evenly divided in the vote. although the
nlibuster has been conducted almost
entirely from the minority side OF the
chamber.
The number OF Republicans who |
voted against the amendment surprised
hose who have been following the de-
bate over the measure. BY carrying
On the Tight for the immediate enact
nent OF legislation enlarging the draft,
on the grounds that II is a prepared
ness measure. the Republicans made
their first effort TO impress upon the
country the Issue upon which they will
wage the campaign cortrol OF Congress
next fall.
They have adopted slogan OF win
the war now," and In their speeches