New-York tribune. [volume], May 24, 1918, Image 1

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Vol. TAX Mil No. 26,122
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First to Last ? the Truth: News ? Editorials ? Advertisements
ffirtimne
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[ Copyright 19?*?
The Tribun? Aca'tt]
FRIDAY, MAY 2L 1918
* * ?
.-!? Greater -few York ?__<. I THI.F._. CEXTS
TWO COCntW trlthlB conuant.?* <-l.t__ut? ? Uufwher?.
Mrs? Stokes
Found Guilty
On 3 Counts
Conviction Based on Letter
Which Violated the
Espionage Act
Defendant Unmoved
As Verdict Is Read
Released on Bond Pending
Motion for New Trial
on June 1
(Special Dispatch to The Tribvne)
KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 23.?Mrs.
Rose Fas tor Stokes was found guilty by
a jury to-night on all three counts of
the indictment charging violation of the
espionage law. Judge Van Valkenburgh
announced that he would hear a motion
for a new trial Saturday, June 1, and
that sentence would be deferred pend?
ing arguments on that motion. Mean-1
.time Mrs. Stokes will be released on the
?ame $10,000 bond.
The jury, which began its delibera?
tions at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon, ar?
rived at its verdict in about three
hours. The verdict was not announced,
however, until 7:40 o'clock, to which
time court had been adjourned for din?
ner.
Do Not Look at Defendant
It W8S announced by Judge Van Val
?tenburgh in his instructions that in
event of a verdict of guilty on more
than one count, the fact that each
count was based on the same act would
be taken into consideration in pass?
ing sentence.
About forty of the hundreds of per?
sons who were in the courtroom
throughout the day were present when
the verdict was read.
The jurymen took their seats about
ten minutes before the arrival of Mrs.
Stokes, her attorney and her husband.
Ko word was spoken in the jury box
in that time. None of the jurors looked
in the direction of the defendant.
When Judge Van Valkenburgh asked
the customary question whether they
had arirved at a verdict, the foreman,
Warner W. Caton, of Nelson, Mo.,
arose and answered in the affirmative.
Th? form containing the verdict was
handed to the court, and then passed
to the clerk of the court and read.
Mrs. Stokes Unmoved
A. the words "Guilty as charged"
were pronounced neither Mrs. Stokes
nor her husband, who sat at her left,
gave any sign. Mrs. Stedman, wife of
Mr.. Stokes's attorney, who sat at her
right, quietly clasped the hand of Mrs.
Stokes.
Mr. Stedman asked that the jury be
polled. As each man answered in the
affirmative the question, "Is this your
verdict?" Mrs. Stokes leaned toward
her husband, with a slight smile, and
whispered. The jurymen were dis?
charged and filed out, each passing the
convicted woman with averted eyes.
The jury went out to deliberate at
2:30 o'clock. Previously Seymour Sted?
man, her attorney, voiced strenuous ob?
jections to fully thirty of the instruc?
tions to the jury. Judge Van Valken-'
burgh ordered the objections enterad
into the records. The judge scored the
defence severely. He laid particular |
atress on the fact that the President in
time of war is almost a dictator and
that he must be supported.
In his instructions to the jury Judge
Van Valkenburgh said:
"It is ridiculous to think that the
President could stop in the face of the
enemy to clean house. We don't stop
in the face of a coming thunderstorm
to hang out our bedding.
"Anything that would cause a halt
In our war activities would be a calam?
ity. We know the German autocracy
would give no hope for democratic in?
stitutions such as are here."
Cites Case of Russia
Speaking of the alleged intention of j
Mrs. Stokes to start a revolution in this
country on the order of the Bolsheviki <
iii(Russia, the judge said:
"We know this revolution split Rus?
sia and made it a helpless German
province. Whatever the motive, it
stands out as the greatest betrayal of
democracy the world has ever seen.
The right of a free press and free
speech in time of war doe? not apply
to seditious utterances. ,
"The law may not be violated under
the guise of principles. Alleged good
intentions cut no figure.
"A revolution in the midst of the
*ar would be one of the most unfor?
tunate things which could happen to
t?e United States as it was to Russia,
(,"en though only an economic one. as
'twould ?educe the war production.
"It is not necessary to find any other
fort of malice than a deliberate know
"'_; purpose to do the thing charged."
Nu Time for Individualism
-he judge referred to what he
termed an extraneous matter in that
t counsel for the defence "Referred
?n a rather slighting way to one of
fiar Allies in her treatment of her
colon ?es."
"This is not an opportune time for
?aything to be said to create a hostile
''?ipression or lack of cooperation with
any of our allies, for that weakens our
owa chances in the war.
"Individualism must be put aside for
;?;> moment until this crisis is over.
sat tongue of the sort of criticism
which would impede our war activities
BDtmt be stayed until the war rtr over.
"As to the point that was made about
Mr. Stout, managing editor of 'The
^'ar.' being guilty of improper conduct
'i' printing the letter after knowing It
v?a>. disloyal, I have this to say:
"The defendant sent a very urgent
bequest that ij be published, and ap?
pealed to the courtesy of the paper to
publish it over her signature as her
yiew and not the paper's. Mr. Stou.
imoicdiately sent it to the law officers
of the government. He published it
because she said she expected him to
?nd because ?he demanded it as a cour?
tesy."
Mrs. Stokes Smiles Bat is Nervous
?While the jury was deliberating
Urs, Stokes sat at the counsel table,
?"?'ding repeatedly to greet friends. Her
?mile was ready, as it has been
Continued on Page 11, Column 4
$16,294,534 Is Total
Here for Red Cross
In FOUR DAYS
New York City has contributed
$16,294,534 to the Red Cross?or
$b,07S,6$3 a day.
The nation has given $63,949,611
?or
$15,987,U03 a day.
IN TWO DAYS
New York City must give $8,705,466
more to the Red Cross?or
$J,,S52,7SS a day.
The nation must give $36,050,389
more?or
$18,025,t95 a day.
Give, Give Till It Hurts!
Says Emerson
Cash Was Spent
In Bribe Effort
Osborne Outlines Case
Against Motors Co. Before
Federal Jury
Use of $20,500 of the funds of the
Emerson Motors Company, Inc., for the
purpose of bribing Joseph C. Pelletier,
District Attorney of Suffolk County
i.Boston), Mass, this was the opening
accusation yesterday of Assistant
United States Attorney James W. Os?
borne, 2d, at the trial of the fourteen
men indicted in connection with the
activities of this defunct organization
in the United States District Court.
Judge Martin T. Mant?n presided.
As the prosecutor made his accusa?
tion a perceptible start communicated
itself to the group of intently listening
defendants, clustered with their attor?
neys within the rail.
The charge upon which these men
who are alleged to have dangled before
the, public one of the most enticing
get-rich-quick schemes in the modern
decalogue have been bronght to trial
is that of having conspired to use the
mails with intent to defraud, and so
they were prepared for the production
of the long list of flamboyant circulars
heralding the scheme which Mr. Os?
borne later spread before the jury.
They were prepared for annotated list?
ings of stock transactions and transfers
and values he brought forth,, for nLhe ;
?tatigtioa op factories which, he do- :
clared had existed chiefly in the con- ;
versation and prospectuses of the pro-,
motors of the Emerson Motors Com?
pany, Inc. But here was something
sudden, unexpected, startling.
When the trial began the courtroom
was already fairly well filled with pro?
spective witnesses and interested?pe?
culiarly interested, many of them?
spectators. The proceedings, which
had been put over from the day pre?
ceding on account of the non-appear?
ance of Osborne E. Chaney, a stock
broker, who is one of the defendants,
started promptly at 10 o'clock.
Mr. Osborne Opens His Case
This time Chaney was on hand
promptly. The jury had been tenta?
tively selected the day before. Its ac?
ceptance by the various counsel was a
mere matter of routine, and, with scant
delay for formalities, Mr. Osborne
launched at once into his opening
against the men who, he declared, be
ginning in April, 1916, and continuing
! until the time of their indictment by
j the Federal authorities in June of the
year following, had, by newspaper ad?
vertising, pamphlet and personal let?
ters, stormed the country with appeals
to buy stock in a motor company whose
product was billed to "rival Ford"?
and who in the process, the prosecu?
tion asserted, had collected from credu?
lous investors sums in the neighbor?
hood of $1,500,000.
In outlining the government's case
Mr. Osborne followed, almost word for
word, figure for figure, the original ex?
pos? of the Emerson Motors Company's
transactions and tactics, which was
published by The Tribune on October
12, 1916, when the Emerson stock sell?
ing campaign was tight-roping to its
dizziest heights.
"We shall prove," declared Mr. Os?
borne, "that some of these defendants
offered stock for sale in.tjie Emerson
Motors Company beforeJthat company
had even been incorporated. We shall
prove that while they were represent?
ing to the public that 'hundreds of
thousands of orders' for cars were
pouring in upon them, their only
equipment for producing cars con?
sisted of part of a building that had
| been leased at Long Island City and
' a small factory at Kingston, N. Y., at
i which not more than 300 cars alto
! gether had been produced up to the
time of the indictment of these de
I fendants?although, in their appeals
| to the public, all their estimates of
! profits were based upon an estimated
I quantity production of 300,000 cars for
, the year 1917.
Tells of Stock Prices
"And we shall prove that while they
were selling stock to the public at
prices that ranged all the way from $2
to $8 per share, that stock was in
fact intrinsically worth exactly 12Ms
cents per share."
Forthwith Mr. Osborne launched |
into a detailed catalogue of the alleged !
connection of each of the various de- j
fendants with the operations of the !
company's campaign.
Here is t'.ie complete roster of these
I defendants:
Nichols F. Wilson, dealer in auto- \
?mobile securities and, according to the i
i government's charges, the prime mover
I in the circuitous Emerson stock-selling
\ deals; Willis George Emerson, who is
, said to be suffering from paralysis and
Continued on last page, Column 4
I-T-1
Registration Places
The Tribune will print to-mor
row a list of the registration
j places in the city for the guid
\ anee of women voters. Originally,
it was announced that the list
j would be printed to-day.
M'Adoo Drops
Willard and
Rea as Aids
Condition of P. R. R. and
B. & O., Under Them,
Believed Unsatisfactory
Both Will Remain
With Their Roads
But Their Connection With I
Actual Operation Is
Severed
(Special Dispatch to The Tribune) j
WASHINGTON, May 23.?The Rail- I
! road Administration confirmed to- i
night the report that Samuel W. Rea, ?
president of the Pennsylvania Rail?
road, and Daniel Willard, president of ]
the Baltimore and Ohio, would not be
designated by Director General of
Railroads McAdoo as Federal man?
agers of their respective roads. Both
Messrs. Rea and Willard, it was
stated, will be associated with the
corporate organizations of the roads,
but their connection with the actual
operation will be severed.
This is interpreted to mean here that
the railroad administration has been
dissatisfied with the operation of Penn?
sylvania and Baltimore & Ohio as gov?
ernment roads under the r?gime of
Messrs. Rea and Willard. No direct
statement to this effect could be se?
cured at the railroad administration,
: though it was stated that some of the
railroad presidents deposed by the re?
cent McAdoo order, whose operation of
their roads had been satisfactory to
the railroad administration, would be
designated to operate the roads as j
Federal managers.
The presidents of the Pennsylvania
and Baltimore & Ohio, however, "have
elected to associate themselves with
the corporate side of their organiza?
tions," it was said.
Under the recent order issued by Di?
rector General McAdoo this will mean ?
that both Presidents Rea and Willard
will not be paid out of the operating I
returns of the road, but will receive
their salaries out of the payments
made to the owners of roads by the ?
government.
_
McAdoo Orders Wage !
Raise for R. R. Men
WASHINGTON, May 23.?Orders j
raising the wages of two million rail?
way employes and giving them back |
pay from January 1 at the new rates
were prepared to-day by Director Gen?
eral McAdoo and sent to the printer,
to be issued within a few days.
Mr. McAdoo based his decision
largely on recommendations of the
railroad wege commission, which pro?
posed increases aggregating about
$300,000,000, but it is understood he
made many modifications which will
result in even higher increases for
some classes. At railroad administra?
tion headquarters, it was intimated
that the total pay increases would
amount to more than $300,000,000.
SKA SHOKK TRAIN BKRVICF. ?
Sprln* Tim?* TaM. of New Jarwy Con?
t.?l a All FlM.il and .Sandy Ho?k Ituutc* mil
take ett?? on May ?ti?.?-Adv..
Drys Win House
Fight to Force
Wilson's Hand
Food Bill, With Prohibition
Rider, Passes, I 78
to 137
WASHINGTON. May 23.?The Ad?
ministration food production bill, au?
thorizing the Department of Agricult- !
uro to spend $10,864,000 to increase i
production, was passed by the House ;
late to-day, with a provision stipul?t- ?
ing that the principal appropriation of
$6,100,000 for the expenses of county!
agents shall not be available unless j
the President issues a proclamation |
forbidding the use of foods for the !
manufacture of liquor in any form, j
Prohibition advocates won their?
tight by a vote of 177 to 133, sustain-i
ing the tentative vote taken Tuesday.'
They now are preparing to campaign
for the provision in the Senate.
The measure also carries a rider
prohibiting the use of the funds to pay
salaries of men of draft age who have
been given deferred military classifi?
cation, where exemption is based solely
on the ground that they are employed
in the Department of Agriculture in
indispensable work.
The dry amendment was fostered by
Representative Randall, of California,
prohibitionist. its opponents argued
vainly against any attempt to coerce
the President, and insisted tViat such
astion would not. hurry the President
into exercising his authority to pro?
hibit the manufacture of liquor during
the. war.
Republican members succeeded in
inserting an amendment to itemize all
of the appropriations after contend?
ing for it for several days. An ap?
propriation of $500,000 for use of the
Department of Agriculture to mobilize
farm labor was stricken out.
GET BUSY!
Revenue Decision
Put Up to McAdoo
By the President
WASHINGTON, May 23.?After pro?
longed conferences to-night with
President Wilson and Secretary Mc?
Adoo, Congressional leaders announced
that by noon to-morrow Mr. McAdoo
would say finally whether he deems it
imperative that Congress abandon its
July adjournment plans to enact rev?
enue legislation.
President Maison left the decision to
Secretary McAdoo. The latter asked
for time to study the Treasury's condi?
tion further and agreed to settle the
question before noon to-morrow. The
oCngressional delegation was hopeful
that legislation would be postponed,
hut willing t abide by the decision of
the Secretary.
The President apparently was not
easily satisfied to delay the legislation,
as his callers argued earnestly for an
hour and a half, delaying the Execu?
tive's dinner. Finally, however, he
agreed to consent to delay of action
until the December session, providing
Secretary McAdoo regarded the Treas?
ury amply safeguaraed. Elated over
the President's attitude Senators Sim?
mons and Martin and Representative'
Kitchin hurried to the McAdoo resi?
dence. There the arguments went on
for another hour, ending with Mr.
McAdoo's agreement to give hi_ final
decision to-morrow.
Enemy Flier,
Try to Clear
Way for Blow
Germans Making Desperate
Effort to Gain Air
Mastery
British Raid Foe's
Line on Arras Front
Italians Blow Up Ammuni?
tion Store; Capture Aus?
trian Outpost
Unprecedentedly severe air fighting
continues on the West front. The
Germans appear to be making a
desperate though fruitless effort
to overcome Allied air superior?
ity in order to pave the way for
the expected resumption of the
offensive.
Correspondents, however, empha?
size the enemy's difficulties, which
probably are delaying Luden
dorff's promised grand stroke;
the German soldiers' confidence
has been hurt; they cannot again
be led to believe in a quick, easy
victory after the present check.
A surprise success is considered
almost impossible on account of
the unified Allied} supreme con
. trol.
On account of the German policy
of withdrawing their heavy
masses far to the rear, from
where they can be thrown in any
direction desired, observers are
less clear just where the hostile
blow will come, but all Allied
opinion is confident in the ability
of Foch to parry it, although
minor losses of territory in the
opening operations are inevitable.
In their renewed air activity the
Germans have bombed a British
hospital, killing and wounding
Continued on Page 3, Column 1
All of Draft Age Must Work
Or Fight; House Committee
Votes for Unlimited Army
Wilson Salates Italy and Pledges
Increased Effort in Common Cause
WASHINGTON. May 23.?On the eve of the celebration of lialy'i
entry into the war President Wilson to-day sent this message to th<
Italian people:
"I am sure I am speaking for the people of the United States in
sending to the Italian people warm fraternal greetings upon this the
anniversary of the entrance of Italy into this great war, in which
there is being fought out once for all the irrepressible conflict between
free self-government and the dictation of force.
"The people of the United States have looked with profound in?
terest and sympathy upon the efforts and sacrifices of the Italian
people, are deeply and sincerely interested in the present and future
security of Italy, and are glad to find themselves associated with a
people to whom they are bound by so many personal and intimate ties
in a struggle whose object is liberation, freedom, the rights of men
and nations to live their own lives and determine their own fortunes,
the rights of the weak as well as the strong, and the maintenance of
justice by the irresistible force of free nations leagued together in
the defence of mankind.
"With ever increasing resolution and force we shall continue to
stand together in this sacred common cause.
"America salutes the gallant Kingdom of Italy and bids her
godspeed."
Teutons Bomb
War Hospitals;
Kill Scores
Hundreds of Nurses and
Patients Maimed Be?
hind British Lines
(By The Associated Press)
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE, May 23.?German airmen
again have bombed heavily British, boa..
pit?is in the area behind the lines, 'and
this time have killed and wounded
some hundreds among the personnel
and patients of many different hos?
pitals in the group.
Recorded in the casualty list are the
names of several sisters who, with
other women nurses, stood bravely by
their posts throughout a terrific deluge
of explosives.
There is in the neighborhood one
large American hospital and another
in which there are American workers,
but neither of these appears to have
suffered. Last summer a number of
American doctors and nurses were
killed and wounded when those same
hospitals were raided by the Germans.
This latest horror was perpetrated
Sunday night, apparently by . four
squadrons cf enemy 'planes, which ap?
pear to have comprised more than a
score of machines.
A great number of bombs were
dropped, about 30 per cent of them
huge affairs, which dug vast craters
in the hospital grounds, and the
rest higii explosive shrapnel, which
sent their death dealing bullets tear?
ing in every direction through the
crowded hospital tents and buildings.
A three-seated airplane was brought
down by gunfire while flying at a low
altitude and the occupants were made
prisoners. The enemy captain and the
pilot sustained comparatively light
shrapnel wounds, while the observer
was not hurt. When questioned why
he had directed his men against hos?
pitals, the captain explained in a mat?
ter-of-fact way that he didn't see the
Red Cross signs.
He said he was seeking military ob?
jectives and had no desire to molest
hospitals.
With a shrug of his shoulders, the
German captain added that if the Brit?
ish choose to build their hospitals near
railways, they must expect to get them
bombed.
The captain spoke excellent English.
Asked where he had learned it, he re?
plied he had been in diplomatic service
before the war.
Sunday night's raid was divided into
two phasos, the first of which began
shortly after 10 o'clock and lasted until
11 o'clock. Not satisfied with this the
enemy returned at 11:40 o'clock and
heavily bombed hospitals filled with
wounded men.
In one building which was damaged
most seriously, all the patients were
suffering from compound fractures,
which made necessary their limbs be?
ing strapped in the air.
Not a woman deserted her ivard, but
throughout the terrible bombing each
one kept going her rounds and quieting
the unfortunate men, who might easily
have done themselves lasting harm by
springing from their beds.
One sister was killed outright while
she was administering to the soldiers'
wants, and another was so seriously
hurt that she died shortly afterward.
Still another was dying to-day.
Several more sisters were among the
wounded. Many other workers were
wounded, including several medical
officers.
-m
3 U. S. Aeroplanes
Downed, Says Berlin
BERLIN, via London, May 23.?Three
American airplanes were brought down
on the Lys battlefield yesterday, accord?
ing to the statement issued by the
War Office to-day. The part of the
statement dealing with aviation fol?
lows:
"On the Lys battlefield three Ameri?
can airplanes, among others, were
brought down yesterday."
'Plane Sinks Destroyer
LONDON. May 23.?An enemy de?
stroyer has been sunk in the neigh?
borhood of Zeebrugge by a direct hit
from an airolane, the Admiralty an?
nounced to-day.
GREAT BEAR -.?'KINO WATER.
Vita PurtUr l?a? Made It I"?n_ou__"?_tdvt.
Thousands in
City Dazed by
Draft Order
Threatened Labor Short?
age Causes Protests;
Hotels Hit Hard
New York, probably the greatest city
; in the world for w,hat Provost Marshal
I General Crowder yesterday termed
I "useless" occupation?, wa? dazed bjr_
j tlie order from Washington that men
j of draft age must fight or else engage
in some productive form of labor. Only
the order of Fuel Administrator Gar
! field, which halted virtually all indus?
tries east of the Mississippi, has pro?
duced a like effect here since the war
began.
The amusement and luxury affording
sphere of New York's life is specially
! affected. Theatres, hotels and restau
i rants have many employes who will
i have to change their jobs because of
the mandate from the capital.
And some of them will kick. They
started to aim the kick just as soon as
they read the newspapers yesterday
announcing General Crowder's order.
The waiters will kick, using the
strong boot of the American Federa?
tion of Labor, if they can.
The bartenders will kick, also appeal?
ing to the American Federation of La?
bor for kicking motor power.
The hatboys and other hotel and res?
taurant attendants promise to kick
with the aid of their employers, who
? say their business interest sare even
now jeopardized through labor short
! age.
The sales clerk, in department, gro
I eery, drug and other stores also will
j kick, using the same argument of labor
I shortage
The only persons who will have to
i take their punishment in silence will
j be the out-and-out loafers, pool and
I billiard "aces," gamblers, racetrack fre
; quenters, bucket shop operatives, and
! the major and minor prophets of the
i fortune telling, palmistry and clairvoy
i ant sfhools.
Others who will probably suffer
' themselves to be led to the recruiting
| stations or to some other place of use
I ful employment without much protest
will be the neatly uniformed footmen,
doormen, housemen, butlers and at?
tendants in clubs, hotels, apartment
houses and office buildings.
Lucius M. Boomer, managing director
of the Hotel McAlpin, president of the
Hotel Claridge Company, and director
of other hotel and restaurant com?
panies, said General Crowder's action
was extremely serious for the hotel and
restaurant interests.
"If the government takes our wait?
ers, clerks and other attendants, it
! will bring about a very serious situa
j tion," said Mr. Boomer. "The shortage
j of labor is bad enough already. It is
almost impossible to get enough help
now. I <_mploy more than 1,000 wait?
ers, and if I lose any of them I don't
j know where I am going to fill their
; places.
"The employment of women will
? not solve the problem. They cannot
be trained in a short time."
Mark A. Cadwell, secretary of the
Hotel Association of New York, said
I the order undoubtedly would mean a
| hard drain on the help available to
j hotels. He roughly estimated the num
I ber of hotel employes in New York at
| 00,000, most of them men, and an ap
i preciable percentage of draft age.
A. Toby, secretary of Bartenders'
' Union, Bronx Local No. 29, said the
i union would protest most emphatically
through the A. F. of L., with which it is
affiliated, although only a smalil num
, ber of members of this local would be.
affected by the order.
The same statement was made by
', William B. Joyce, secretary of the Bar
; tenders' Benevolent and Protective As
; sociation. Local No. !'.. Mr. Joyce said
? nil the bartenders' unions, waiters and
cooks' onions of the greater city would
' hold a meeting next Monday afternoon
j at 228 East Eighty-sixth Street, at
; which this order would be discussed.
"We are patriotic," said Mr. Joyce.
, "But I don't'like the looks of this or
; der. There are seven hundred bar
! tender?.' unions in thia country and
? Canada, and every local in this country
i has taken from ?500 to $1,000 in Lib?
erty bonds. In addition, to be in good
; standing, every member has to hold a
? Liberty hond of his own. Between six
j thousand and eight thousand of our
itipmber. have volunteered for army
' and navy service. I don't think the
boys should be forced to give up their
jobs till they are called to the colors."
Every Man in
Non-Useful
Occupation
Is Affected
Clerks, Waiters and
Idlers Must Find New
Employment or
Enter Army
Will Summon All
Needed for Victory
Bill Authorizes Presi?
dent to Call to Colors
All Who Can Be
Equipped
WASHINGTON, May 23.?Two
i important steps were taken to-day
; toward perfecting the task of put
? ting the nation on a war basis.
Soon after Provost Marshal Gen
; eral Crowder liad promulgated a
drastic amendment to the selective
service regulations requiring every
man of draft age to work or fight.
Secretary Baker appeared before the
Mouse Military Committee and asked
' tfiat President Wilson be authorized
to call to tilt? colors all men of draft
age who can be equipped and trained.
The committee promptly and unan
| imously voted the authority into the
army appropriation bill about to be
reported to the House.
Under existing law power is given
to draft one million fighting men, in
addition to special units. This limit
I soon will be reached with men con
| stantly going into camp to replace
j those sailing for France as fast as
j ships can be provided to take them.
j With the law changed as the Presi
j dent desires, the man power of the
country will be drawn upon for
I whatever force may be necessary to
| win the war.
New Regulation Farreaching
General Crowder.a new regulation
is farreaching in ?.cope. It touches
not only habitual idlers, but .?so re?
quires that draft registrants-now in
occupations held to be non-useful
? seek new jobs or take their places in
J the army. Clerks in stores, waiter?,
I bartenders, employes at places of
i amusement, passenger elevator men
Land other employes around hotels,
clubs and business buildings, as well
' as gamblers, fortune teller.? and
I racetrack and bucket shop attend
i ants, all fall among those classed a?
i non-usefully engaged.
Enforcement of the rule is ex
1 pected to add some men to the army
j and to do a more important service
i in improving the labor situation in
i essential industries.
The House Military Committee, after
hearing Secretary Baker, completed the
' army bill, with provision for the pay
of 3,000,000 men and with ordnance ap?
propriations on the basis of an army
'' of 4,000,000 men. The measure will be
laid before the House carrying a total
of $9.569.129.000 of actual appropria?
tions and authorization for contract?
amounting to $2,464,416,000 more.
Amendment to Existing Law
This amendment to the existing .?<*?
was adopted by the committee:
"Provided, That the authority con?
ferred upon the President by the act
approved May 18, 19.7, entitled 'An
act to authorize the President to in?
crease temporarily the military es?
tablishment of the United State?/ is
hereby extended so ..s to authorize
him during each fiscal year to raise
by draft a.- provided in said act and
acts amendatory thereof the maxi?
mum number of mer which may be
organized, equipped, trained and used
during such year for the prosecution
of the present war until the same
shall have been brought to a _ucce?s
' fui conclusion."
Mr. Baker told the committee in ex?
ecutive session the President's reasons
for asking that no limit be placed upon
the number of draft men to be called.
Members said later it was . -?timated
that an army of 5,000.000 could be
raised without changing the draft ages.
The statement of the provost mar?
shal general follows:
"Provost Marshal General Crowder
! to-day announced an amendment to
| the selective service regulations
j which deals with the great questioa
of requiring men not engaged in a
useful occupation to immediately
app'.y themselves to ?orm form of
labor contributing to the genciit1
j good. The idler, too, will find him?
self confronted with the ?lUraativ?