Evening star., 1940-09-06
House Refuses
ToChange21-44
Draft Age Limits
Bills Proponents
Beot Moves to Widen
Or Restrict Ronge
By ]. A. O'LEARY.

The House today refused to
change the age limits for selec-
tive service from the range of 81
to A, inclusive, fixed by the
Military Affairs Committee in
the compulsory military training
bill.
This decision represented a
victory for the committee and
House leaders, who suffered a
setback last night when oppo-
nents succeeded in putting in
the Fish amendment, delaying
the draft pending a 60-day trial
of the volunteer system.
The House first rejected the mo-
ton of Representative Anderson,
Democrat, of Missouri to accept the
Senate age limits of 81 to 80, in
elusive. The vote was Al to 161.
The proposal of Representative
Rees, Republican, of Kansas to in
clude men up to SIS was defeated
on voice vote.
Rees' Argument.
Representative Rees argued that
Men are just as fit at 55 as they
are at As and said that if respon-
sibility of military service was to
be shared equally, you might as
well include another 100000 men
up to 55.'
Representative Schafer, Republic
an. of Wisconsin, tried without sue
cess to write in a requirement that
all members of Congress under IS
register, even though they would
not be liable for training. His mo-
ton failed, 119 to 1913, on a teller
vote Even without the amendment,
members of Congress up to As will
have to register, but are exempt
from call as members of a legisla-
tive body.
Meanwhile. House leaders were
still noncommlttal on whether they
will demand a roll call later on the
Fish amendment. although it was
regarded as almost certain that
lklSN Will Scth SuCll d fOlS.
On reconvening today, the House
spent nearly all of the first hour
IN political pickering between DEM
ocrats and Republicans, which
started when Representative Short.
Republican, of Missouri attacked
the legality of the Presidents trans
fer of destroyers to England in re-
turn for Western Hemisphere naval
bases.
Declaration of Principle Hit.
Finally turning back to the train
ing bill, the membership promptly
voted down a motion by Repre-
sentative Dirksen, Republican. Of
Illinois to strike from the opening
section of the bill the gneeral
| declaration of policy in favor OF
the principle of selective service.
| Mr.. Dirksen argued the general
| declaration makes no reference to
a period of emergency, and would
therefore stand indefinitely as a de-
clared principle of Congress, even II
the actual training of men stopped
in 1s45.
There was speculation at the Cap
itol today over the possibility that
a final vote on the training bill
might not occur until next week.
In this connection it was recalled
that large contingent of House
members are virtually on the eve of
primaries, for denomination, to be
held Tuesday in Colorado, Michigan
Minnesota, New Hampshire, Yer.
mont, Washington and Louisiana.
In addition. congressional elections
| take place in Maine Monday. Some
observers thought it likely that if
| the bill does not pass by tomorrow,
the vote may be delayed several
days to obtain a full attendance on
| important roll calls.
| Most of the Republicans and a
surprising number of Democrats filed
I'D the center aisle on the teller vote
yesterday to put the delaying Fish
| amendment in the bill, 185 to 155.
(See CONSCRIPTION, Page A-5.)