BRITISH COMMISSIONER LAYS
n
0. S. MAKES' READY
ESS PASSES
WRTATH ON WASHINGTON'S TOMB
TO ARMY BILL
DRAFT BILL
TO
!F GEO. WASHINGTON
HOUSE COMMITTEE PBJEPARES
HOUSE VOTE WAS 297 TO 24. fN
SENATE THE VOTE WAS
81 TO 8.
WILL BEND EVERY ENERGY TO
DESTROY GERMANY'S SUB
MARINE WARFARE.
WAR BILL TO RAISE BILLION
AND HALF DOLLARS.
PROVISION FOR VOLUNTEER
SYSTEM THROWN OUT HOUSE
313 TO 109.
GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE AND
UNITED STATES RAISE COL- ;
ORS AT MT; VERNON. I
LOWED INCOME EXEMPTION
VOLUNTEER SYSTEM KILLED
FOOD SITUATION IS SERIOUS
MANY AMENDMENTS
... .
JREE GREAT FLAGS I CONGR
REVENUE MEAf0s
TO RAISE BI6 f
1
FLOAT OVER TOMB ARMY
BREAK
BLOCKADE
I JF
SENATE IS FOR ROOSEVELT
Liquor Restrictions Included in Amend
ments. No. Bounty to Be Paid For
Enlistment, and No Person Shall
be Allowed to Furnish a Substitute.
Washington. Bpth Senate and
House adopted an amendment just be
fore the final roll calls which would
greatly increase the pay of enlisted
men during the war. The House pro
vision would make their pay $30 a
month and that approved by the Sen
ate would fix it at $29 a month. ,The
present pay is only $15.
In the House at the last moment,
Chairman Fitzgerald, of the Appro
priations Committee, objected vigor
ously to the appropriation of $3,000,
000,000 carried in the bill for the ex
pense of the new army, and the sec
tion finally was eliminated entirely.
Mr. Fitzgerald declared that to place
this vast sum in the hands of the
Secretary of War would make of Con
gress a "mere automaton," and prom
ised that if the section was voted down
the committee would provide funds
promptly in a separate measure.
Among the amendments adopted in
the Senate was one which would per
mit Colonel Roosevelt to recruit a
volunteer force for service in France.
A similar proposal had been rejected
by the House. Speaker Clark, Demo
cratic Leader Kitchin and Chairman
Dent, of the Military. Committee, who
had favored the volunteer system, all
voted for the draft bill on the final
roll call. Republican Leader Mann
also was recorded in the affirmative,
as was Miss Rankin, who previously
had voted with the volunteer adva
cates. Test in Senate.
The Administration won its fight for
the military draft in the Senate when
an amendment authorizing a call for
600,000 volunteers was rejected by a
vote of 69 to 18
follows:
The vote was as
For the volunteer amendments :
Democrats: Gore, Hardwick, Kirby,
McKellar, Reed, Thomas, Trammell
and Vardaman -8.
Republicans: Borah, Cummins, 'Cur
tis, Fall, Gallinger, Gronna, Johnson,
California; LaFollette, Norris, Sher
man 10.
Against the volunteer amendments:
Beckham, Broussard, Bankhead, Back
ham, Broussard, Chamberlain, Culbuer
son, Fletcher, Gerry, Hillis, Hustings,
James, Johnson, South Dakota; Jones,
New Mexico; King, Lewis, Martin,
Mayers, Overman, Owen, Phelan, Pitt
man, Pomerene, Ransdell, Robinson,
Saulsbury, Shafroth.Sheppard, Shields,
Simmons,' Smith, Arizona; Smith, Geo
gia; Smith, Maryland; Smith, South
Carolina; Stone, Swanson, Thompson,
Underwood, Walsh, Williams, Wal
cott 40.
Republicans : Brady, Brandegee,
Calder Colt, Dillingham, Fernald,
France, Frelinghuysen, Hale, Hard
ing, Jones, Washington; Kellogg, Ken
yon, Knox, Lodge, McCumber, Mc
Lean, Nelson, New, Page, Penrose,
Poindexter, Smoot, Sterling, Suther
land, Wadsworth, Warren, Watson,
Weeks 29.
After the McKellar amendment had
been rejected, Senator Trammell re
opened the draft question by offering
an amendment proposing to substi
tute the volunteer system throughout
the bill. It was rejected by an over
whelming roar of "noes."
In the House there was no roll call.
The long fight came to a close early
in the afternoon when Representative
Kahn, of California, moved to strike
out the volunteer provision written in
to the bill by hte House Military Com
mittee. As the result of the voting
became apparent, the members of the
galleries broke into cheers, while
Speaker Clark, Chairman Dent of the
Military Qommittee, Chairman Pad
gett, of the Naval Committee, and
other Democrats, who had fought the
administration's plan, sat silently in
their seats.
Democratic Leader Kitchin, who
had expected to vote against con
scription, responded to the call for
a quorum just before, but was not
present for the vote on the amend
ment. Miss Rankin, of Montana,
votea witn tne volunteer advocates.
Throughout the remainder of the
House debate pro-volunteer members
frequently reopened discussion of their
proposal, the climax coming when
Speaker Clark declared he might drive
out of his district some of those who
had urged that he vote for conscrip
tion. "A lot of old skunkers all over the
country who think that nobody is go
ing to be forced into this war except
boys from nineteen to twenty-five,"
tho speaker said, "and that their mis
erable, cowardly hides will be safe,
have 'been sending telegrams here. I
know them. I know every man in
any district who has telegraphed me,
and I know who Is at the bottom of
it, and I can take a double-barreled
ARTHUR JAMES BALFOUR.
shotgun and run out of. my district
every man who sent me a telegram to
vote for conscription, and if school
doesn't keep too long I will run a few
out, too."
Would Send Teddy.
, Senator Harding's amendment to
the army bill designed to permit Col
onel Roosevelt to raise four infantry
divisions to go to the European bat
tle front was adopted by the Senate
56 to 31. Many Democrats voted for
the amendment.
The announcement as adopted does,
not specifically mention Col. Roose
velt, but its purpose has been well un
derstood and its author referred to
the fact that it would permit the form
er president to raise troops to go to
Europe. It was not discussed at
length.
Senators Ashurst, Broussard, Groe,
Hardwick, Hollis, Husting, Johnson,
South Dakota; Kirby, McKellar, My
ers, Owen, Pomerene, Ransdell, Reed,
Robinson, Saulsbury, Thompson, Var
daman and Williams, Democrats, sup
ported the amendment. Senators
Brady, Gronna, LaFollette and War
ren, Republicans, voted- against it.
Farmers Exempt-
Among more important amend
ments adopted in the House was one
empowering the president to exempt
from the draft, in his discretion, per
sons engaged in. agricultural work.
Another would require each state to
furnish a quota of men apportioned
according to population, and still an
other provides that "no bounty shall
be paid to induce any person to en
list," and that "no person liaWle to
military service shall hereafter be
permitted or allowed to furnish a
substitute for such service."
In the Senate there was a long de
bate over proposal to prohibit the sale
or possession of intoxicating liquors
during the war. Several amendments
were adopted, including one to make
it unlawful to sell or give liquor to
officers or men in uniform or to mem
bers of Congress or other officials, and
then the Senate reversed itself and
adopted a substitute simply forbidding
the sale of liquor to soldiers in uni
form, and giving the president wide
discretionary authority to make other
prohibition regulations.
An amendment by Senator Curtis
stipulating that men subject to draft
who voluntarily present themselves
shall be recorded as volunteers, was
accepted by Chairman Chamberlain,
and went into the bill.
Another long debate was evoked
over amendments by Senators Thomas
and LaFollette to exempt from con
scription those having "conscientious"
objections to military service. Both
were defeated without a roll call, and
the bill's exemption proposal left un
changed.
"FARM AND ARM" IS
BATTLE CRY OF ROOSEVELT
Chicago. 'Farm and Arm!" With
this battle cry, Theodore Rooaevelt
entered Chicago and in two stirring
speeches urged that every energy of
the entire nation be directed toward
making the potential might of the Uni
ted States felt in the war against Ger
many, and he demanded that not an
hour be lest in dispatching troops to
the trenches. His first speech was
made at a luncheon at noon; his sec
ond at a mass meeting in the im
mense .amphitheater at the stock
yards. x
He advocated universal training as
a permanent policy; he advocated con
scription, but he pleaded that he
should be allowed to recruit a division
for immediate service with the Allies.
He was roundly applauded when he
urged that, during the war, the use
of grain for the manufacture of alco
holic beverages be prohibited.
"I want to get Americans into the
trenches of France at the earliest pos
sible moment to show our Allies that
we are as ready as they to shed our
blood for the cause of democracy. I'd
gQs as a second lieutenant," said Col.
loosevelt.' ".I'm willing to, go In the
train of any competent officer who
may be selected. To get the divi
sion there is the thing."
. On his arrival Mr. Roosevelt was
given a reception reminiscent of the
days when he was president.
Increase of Excess Profits Tax is An
other Proposal of Sub-Committee.
Increase Taxes on Liquor, Beer, To
baccos, Soft Drinks, Freight and Pas
senger Traffic, etc.
Washington. A war revenue meas
ure designed to raise not less than
$1,500,000,000 by direct taxes during
the coming year was reported to the
House Ways and Means Committee
Tuesday by a sub-committee which
had been drafting the bill in secret
sessions.
Reduction of the income tax exemp
tions from $3,000 and $4,000 to $1,000
and $2,000 for single and married per
sons, respectively, and an increase of
the excess profits tax from eight per
cent on all 'amounts over eight per
cent and $5,000 to sixteen per cent
are two of the sub-committee's pro
posals. The tentative bill also carries in
creased taxes on liquor, beer, cigars,
cigarettes and tobacco, new taxes on
automobiles, soft drinks, ammunition
places, freight and passenger tariffc
and a stamp tax of wide scope. Much
of the bill follows the lines suggested
by Secretary McAdoo, but many of
the most important proposals are re
jected. The total of the proposed bill falls
millions of dollars short of the orig
inal figure of $1,800,000,000, to be de
rived from -taxes this year.
Fordney Responsible.
Opposition of Representative Ford
ney, of Michigan, ranking Republican
member of the committee, to raising
more than $1,000,000,000 by direct
taxes is largely responsible for this
3ituation.
A bitter fight on the bill in full
committee .is certain. Resentment
among some members aroused by the
prolonged executive meetings of the !
committee, coupled with vigorous op
position to the income and excess
profits tax proposals, make storms in
evitable, i
A new cloud also has appeared in
the threat of a Republican member to
demand doubling of the present one
cent duty on sugar.
Secrecy, which has marked sub-committee
conferences, will rule in the
full committee. Unprecedented safe
gards are being established against
"leaks," Only one copy of the tenta
tive bill for each committeeman has
been ''printed, and an effort will be
mad to prevent members taking them
from the committee room.
There have been insistent demands
from all sections of the country for
public hearings but none will be held
if present plans are carried out.
A normal tax of two per cent would
be levied by the proposed bill on all
incomes above the proposed exemp
tions. Above $3,000 and $4,000 and
up to $5,000 four per cent would be
levied. Surtaxes would begin at $5,
000 and continue upward.
Higher Liquor Tax.
Decision to recommend increasing
the tax on whiskey from $1.10 to $2
a gallon and that on beer from $1.50
to $2.50 a barrel wasj reached after
determined efforts to make it higher
had failed.
In an effort to protect the manu
facturer and smoker of cheap cigars,
it was decided to fix a graduated tax
on all kinds of cigars. Cigarette
taxes would be doubled.
Suggestion of a flat four per cent
rate on freight and passenger trans
portation proceeds was rejected in
favor of taxes higher than four per
cent on passenger tickets and four
per cent on freight charges.
, A five per cent tax on the factory
cost of automobiles and musical in
struments is recommended.
Amusement places, including mo
tion picture houses and baseball parks
would pay stamp taxes equal to ten
per cent of their gate reecipts.
AMERICAN TANK STEAMER
SUNK BY SUBMARINE.
London. The American oil tank
steamer Vacuum lias been sunk. The
captain and part of the crew and the
naval lieutenant and nine American
naval gunners are missing. The
Vacuum was sung by a German sub
marine while she was on the way to
the United States. The chief mate and
17 men, including three of the Amer
ican Navy gunners, have been landed.
FRENCH COMMISSION TO
MAKE TOUR OF WEST.
Washington. The State Department
announced that the French War Mis
sion would leave Washington Thurs
day to visit Chicago and later would
go to Kansas City, St. Louis, Spring
field, Iillinois, Philadelphia, New York
and Boston. At the conclusion of the
tour, the party will return to Wash
ington. Members of the Commission,
including Rene Viviana, its head, and
Marshal Joffre, the hero of the Marne,
will travel on a special train.
VISITORS PAY HOMAGE TO
AMERICA'S GREAT SOLDIER
Eminent Gathering, Including Mem
bers of British and French War
Commission, 'President's Cabinet
and Members of Congress, Stand
With Bared Heads in Semi-Circle
Before Tomb of Nation's Founder.
Mount Vernon, Va. The flags of
Great Britain, France and the United
States floated proudly together over
the tomb of George Washington. Be
neath them, spokesmen of the three
great democracies paid homage to
America's soldier and statesman, and
pledged themselves, each to the other,
in the name of the dead, to prosecute
the present mighty struggle against
autocracy on the line he himself had
followed in bringing America into be
ing. In groups of twos and threes, an
eminent gathering, including the mem
bers of the French and British . war
commission, the President's cabinet
and members of Congress, had stroll
ed up through the sloping grounds
from the river bank until perhaps half
a hundred people stood with bared
heads in a semi-circle before the tomb.
The day which had been heavy and
threatening as the party approached on
the Mayflower, suddenly burst into
sunlight which played through the
trees on the unifroms and faces of
those assembled.
Without formality, Secretary Dan
iels motioned to M. Viviani, minis
ter of justice and former president
of France, who advanced slowly into
the center. Before the tomb of Wash
ington whose efforts towards liberty
his own ancestors had gloriously aid
ed, M. Viviana delivered an address,
in which the whole forces of his emo
tional power, deepened by the signifi
cance of the occasion, fought for ex
pression. The spectators, though most of them
could not understand French, caught
the suppressed feeling and fire of the
orator and followed his words spell
bound as they quickened under the
thrill of his imagaination.
his voice not a sound could be heard.
As M. Viviana finished, the silence
became supreme with the general
realization that no applause could ex
press the emotions aroused.
Then came forward Artnur James
Balfour, foreign secretary of Great
Britain, who stood for a moment in
silence, a tall, erect, kindly figure.
Overcome with all that the situation
meant in the lives of the two great
Anglo-Saxon countries, Mr. Balfour
abandoned his decision not to speak
and gave expression to a few poignant
sentences, evidently straight from the
heart. England had honored Wash
ington as she never had before.
"M. Viviani," said Mr. Balfour, "has
expressed in most eloquent words the
feelings which grip us all here today.
He has not only paid a fitting tribute
to a great statesman, "but ha . has
brought our thoughts most vividly
down to the present. The thousands
who have given their lives French,
Russian, Italian, Belgian, Serbian,
Montengerin, Roumanian, Japanese
and British were fighting for what
they believed to be the cause of lib
erty. "There is no place in the world
where a speech for the cause of lib
erty would be better placed than here
at the tomb of Washington. But as
that work has been so adequately
done by a master of oratory, perhaps
you will permit me to read a few
words prepared by the British Mission
for the wreath we are to leave here
today:
"'Dedicated by the British Mission
to ,the immortal memory of George
Washington, soldier, statesman, pa
triot, who would have rejoiced to see
the country of which he was by birth
a citizen, and the country which his
genious called into existence, fighting
side by side to save mankind from
subjection to a military despotism.' "
Governor Stuart of Virginia spoke
as the host on Virginian soil.
"Washingten," he said, "originally
belonged to Virginia, but his priceless
memory has now become a common
heritage of the world. We cons aerate
here today a struggle bearing the su
preme test of the issues for which he
lived, fought and died."
Marshal Joffre, victor of the Marne
and idol of the French people, next
came forward in field marshals uni
form. Simply, but earnestly, he spoke
but two brief sentences:
"In the French army, all venerate
the name and memory of Washington.
I respectfully salute here tho great
soldier and lay upon his tomb the
Da m we offer ou soldiers who have
died for their country."
Two French officers came forward
with the bronze wreath from the
French Mission, the humblest and the
highest mark of honor which the
French Nation can accord the dead.
Senate Favors Roosevelt Plan to Take
Troops to France. Age Provision
Not Fxed. Conflicts to Be Settled
In Conference.
Washington. The House shortly be
bore midnight Saturday passed the
bill embodying the Administration's
plan for a selective draft.
The vote was 397 to 24.
The Senate passed the bill by a vote
of 81 to 8.
Earlier in the day both Senate and
House voted approval of the Admin
istration's proposal to raise a, great
war army on the principle of selective
conscription, voting down by over
whelming majority the volunteer army
amendment around which opponents
of the Administration plan had cen
tered their right.
In the Senate the vote on the volun
teer amendment was 69 to 18, and in
committee of the whole In the House
it was 279 to 98, supporters of con
scription marshaling a strength which
surprised even Administration leaders.
On a roll call the House rejected
the volunteer army proposal by a vote
of 313 to 109, an even greater ma
jority than that by which the amend
ment had been eliminated from the
bill earlier in the day on teller vote
In Committee of the Whole.
Whether Congress finally would ac
cept the staff's recommendations re
garding the ages between which con
scription should apply appeared more
uncertain. In the Senate the Mil's
stipulation that men between 19 an i 25
should be liable to the draft was
changed to make the minimum 21 tmd
25 should be liable to the draft was
changed to make the minimum 21 &r.d
the maximum 27. The House vot&d
down all proposed changes in the
Military Committee's recommendation
that the limits be fixed at 21 and 40
These and a number, of lesar
amendments will be considered aj
speedily as possible in conference in
the hope that the measure may be
sent to the President for his signa
ture by the middle of this week.
Senator Harding's amendment, de
signed to permit Colonel Roosevelt to
raise four infantry divisions for ser.
vice in France, was adopted by the
Senate 56 to 31. Many Democrats
voted for it. A similar amendment
was rejected by the House.
The Senate adopted an amendment
by Senator Fall to provide for raising
three regiments of volunteer cavalry
to patrol the Mexican border. The
vote was 53 to 25.
On the objection of Chairman Fitz
gerald of the Appropriation Commit
tee the $3,000,000,000 appropriation
provided for carrying the bill into ef
fect was finally stricken out by the
House by a vote of 351 to 25, and it
was agreed that the committee should
bring in a seperate measure.
MARSHAL JOFFRE EAGER
FOR U. S. FLAG IN FRANCE.
Will Hasten End of War and Cement
Friendship With America.
Washington. Marshal Joffre told
the people of America through Wash
ington newspaper correspondents who
called upon him, that France cherishes
the confident hope that the flog of the
United States soon will be flying on
her battle lines.
Victories sure to be won by the sol
diers of the two Republics, once more
fighting shoulder to shoulder for lib
erty, declared the hero of the Marne,
will "hasten the end of the war and
tighten the links of affection and es
teem which have ever united France
and the United States."
The marshal, replying to questions,
said he deemed it advisable to send
one American unit at a time to France
rather than to wait for the complete
equipment of a big army, because of
transportation problems.
Marshal Joffre told correspondents
that he did not thaink Americans
now with the French army should be
withdrawn to serve under the Ameri
can flag except possibly a few spec
ialists who might be useful in devel
oping the training of the new Ameri
can force. He paid hearty tribute to
the valor of Americans now fighting
in France.
American officers, he believed, were
fully competent to train American
men, and he gave it as his opinion
that and American army would devel
op rapidly.
MEXICO TO TAKE HER
STAND WITH UNITED STATES
Monterey, Mexico. Mexico prob
ably will break off relations with the
Central Powers within a few weeks,
and declare an alliance with the En
tente Powers. The attitude of the va
rious government officials plainly
shows that they have received orders
from higher up. Some of the hot
headed officials who lately were loud
est in their anti-American talk have
developed a friendly feeling for the
Americans.
World Threatened With Famine,
French Commissioners Say. More
Ships to Fight U-Boats Will Be
Marshalled in United States.
Washington. Evidence of growing
success of the ruthless German sub
marine blockade has forced the prob
lem of supplying the Entente quickly
with food and other necessities
sharply into the forefront of the Amer
ican Government's war program.
Aroused by information brought to
this country by the British and French
war missions, President Wilson and
his Cabinet set about to launch with
its full force as speedily as possible
their campaign to break down the
blockade, planned by the Administra
tion as the Nation's first physical
stroke against Germany. The food
problem occupied the Cabinet meet
ing almost to the exclusion of all the
other important war questions before
the Government. Afterward, it was
indicated that the recent German sub
marine ravages wero considered so
successful that the United States must
marshal its resources immediately to
put more merchant ships in commis
sion, to help devise some means of
fighting submarines, and to insure . a
greater yield of food stuffs to offset
the increasing destruction of food
cargoes in the war zone.
Members of the Cabinet took to
the meeting a great quantity of infor
mation given by the visiting missions,
including a plea by some members of
the French commission that America
must act quickly if the world is to
be saved from famine. Recent decla
rations in the British Parliament were
reviewed as supplementing this evi
dence. There was no attempt to con
ceal the impression that the food
problem had taken on an Aspect mak
ing it incomparably the most press
ing question facing the United States
Lin its efforts to stem the progress of
its enemy.
There were indications that more,
energetic measures might be expect
ed to speed up the work of relieving
the food shortage in the Entente
countries. These measures, it was
predicted, would be the first to take
form as a result of the international
war conferences here.
GERMAN LOSSES ESTIMATED
AT MORE THAN 200,000 MEN.
French Also Capture 130 Guns, Some
of Large Calibre.
. Paris. The extent of the German
losses in the recent desperate fighting
along the Aisne is practically disclosed
in an official statement on the cap
ture of 130 guns, of which a consider
able number were of heavy caliber.
The German losses in men are esti
mated at more than 200,000, with the
probability that the total reached 235,
000. These figures include killed,
wounded and prisoners.
;The number of German prisoners
aggregates' approximately 20,000. The
usual formula among military experts
is to estimate the casualties at five
times the number of prisoners, but
this five-to-one ratio has not held good
in the present case, owing to the ex
ceedingly sanguinary character of
the fighting for the mastery of the
strategic position of the Chemindes
Dames plateou. They held this firmly
at the outset, and when it was rested
from them by the French attacks, the
.Germans repeatedly brought up large
reserves in a desperate effort to re
gain it.
GERMAN ENVOY SAID
TO HAVE LEFT BRAZIL.
Rio Janeiro. It is reported from a
good sources that the German Minis
ter and Consuls left Thursday for
Europe on board the steamer Rio
Janeiro.
FRENCH DECLARE WORLD
FAMINE DANGER EXISTS.
Washington. The French war mis
sion has informed the American Gov
ernment that theh things .France
needs most from the United States are
money, food, fertilizers, coal, steel, oil
and transportation equipment, espe
cially ships in which to carry goods
from the new to the old world. One
of the foremost purposes of the
French mission is to impress upon the
American Government and people the
serious food situation in Europe.
TRADING-WITH-ENEMY
LEGISLATION CONSIDERED.
Washington. JTrading-with-enemy
legislation to be asked of Congress
by the Administration was studied by
President Wilson. It was learned a
liberal policy is contemplated, and
that the measure will be much less
restrictive than the , British law,
after wich it is modeled. A complet
ed program will be put before the
Cabinet this week and bills probably
will be introduced by Administration
headers before the week is over.