Evening star., 1925-10-26
A Universal Draft Law.

The American Legion has included
in its legislative program which will
be urged upon Congress when it con
venes in December. a universal draft
law. In support of this proposal its
representatives urge the need of
translating into law the results of
Americas experience in the World
War, so far as it affects national Sc
Curity and defense. And wisely so.
Because of a lack of understanding
that the entire resources of the Ma
ton, man power and material, should
be at the call of the country in time
of war, there was uncertainty, and in
the end a tremendous profiteering
which cost and is costing and will
continue to cost the people dear for
many years TO come.
For seven years and seven times
the American Legion in national con-
vention has gone on record in favor
of such a universal draft law. The
legionnaires went into the service of
the country az the pay and wage
fixed by Congress for the fighting
forces of the Nation. They We're taken
away from the opportunity Of big
wages and big turnovers in business
which fell TO the lot of those who did
not enter the military service. Many
of them were criticized because they
supported the adjusted compensation
act. Had the law which they now pro-
pose been in effect there would have
been no good argument for such an
act.
Under the terms Of the bill which is
sponsored by the legion the President
is given authority to take necessary
steps t. stabilize prices of commodi-
ties, TO draft into the service of the
United States all persons between the
ages of q and 80. or whatever ages
may be fixed by Congress. without
exemption on account of industrial
occupation, and to determine and pro-
claim the material resources and in
dustrial organizations of the country
under Government control during the
period Of the war or emergency.
This means, in effect, the power to
draft into the service of the country
the entire resources of America. 1t
means comparatively few bloated for
tunes made out Of the necessities Of
a nation at war. 1t means that work
men at home will not abandon cotton
shirts to don silk while their fellows
in ta LII -
Congresses have come and gone
since the armistice was signed. They
have passed laws for the payment Of
huge sums Of money for war mate
rials. they have continued TO levy the
heavy taxes made necessary TO meet
the expenditures of the war, though
these taxes have been gradually re-
duced. But no action has been taken
on the proposed universal draft law,
although in the last Congress such
bills were introduced by Representa-
tive Royal c. Johnson Of South Da-
kota and by Senator Arthur Capper
of Kansas President Coolidge in his
address TO the legion at its last annual
convention in Omaha spoke in sup
port Of such a measure. Why cannot
Congress pause long enough in its
debates to put this desirable law on
the statute books?
The American Legion is a power
politically, and doubtless this power
will grow with the years. 1t was
largely successful in bringing about
the enactment Of the adjusted COM
pensation act, Notwithstanding the
veto of that bill by the President and
the opposition of very large number
Of persons in this country. 1t is to be
expected that the legion, made up of
men who went to the defense of the
Nation in time Of need, will use this
power in the interest Of the Nation,
and not of themselves alone. Its in
terest in the proposed universal draft
law is laudable.