The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-11
Editorial Comments
From Other ANGLES
MR.. WADSWORTH STANDS FIRM
IN. W Herald Tribune

It was typical of Congressman James w.
Wadsworth Jr, to say of the Fish amendment
to delay the putting into force of the Burke
Wadsworth bill that 1T only throws a monkey
wrench into the entire program Mr.. Wads-
worth is one of those few Republicans in Con-
gress who have consistently worked for a
sound military policy, and who, in the present
emergency, have put party politics behind
them and fought for what they believe to be
the best interests of the country. On neither
count is Mr.. Fish his peer. In fact, just as it
rise above politics in matters of defense, so
Mr.. Fish has consistently taken the narrowest
partisan view on every question. His record
of putting himself on the wrong side is almost
perfect.
Unfortunately, Congress this time seems to
have preferred Mr.. Fish's temporizing meas.
ure, delaying the effectiveness of the ~selective
service law for two months while authorizing
the President during this period to push the
drive for recruiting. The avowed purpose is
to permit the voluntary enlistment system to
be given a thorough test' before the drafting
of young men is resorted to. The most effec-
tive argument against this was put forward by
Mr.. Wadsworth when he said: 1.-THE alarming
tendency of the young men of today is that
the volunteer idea, the belief that others will
to acquire the military training nee
essary to afford the country a sufficient
amount Of trained soldiers to defend it in case
of need, has relieved those who do not volun-
teer from any sense of responsibility what
Mr.. Wadsworth used these words not in the
Congress, but speaking in December,
1916. In April, 1917, he said on the floor of the
+haf ho did MT fbipk II woS nocSihla IN
get 500, 900 men by volunteering without letting
Town the bars of efficiency, and added that
1.-The burdens of this war should fall equally
on everybody capable of bearing that burden.
We should be fair and democratic in this ideal
of service, but we should SO contrive our de-
fensive system that it would be employed in
the most efficient way. That is why we advo-
cate s~elective draft-selection OF the best ma
terial for the particular duty"
Because Mr.. Wadsworth at that time spoke
so soundly on military policy, and because,
after the last war, he endeavored to have put
into the military bill of 1920 a provision for
s~elective service, his opinion on this subject
deserves special consideration. To the credit
of the House be it said that when, on Wednes-
day, he spoke in behalf of the Burke-Wads'
worth bill-before Mr.. Fish had brought for
ward his embedding a~mendment-he was greet
ed with applause from both sides, and when he
had finished his plea for prompt action the
House rose in tribute to him. His speech had
the strength of candor-the frank admission
that a year ago he had not fully realized the
dangers that lay ahead of us as a result OF
the war, but that with the invasion OF the Low
and the destruction of France he
saw the light. This is why he took up the cud-
gels for the selective-service bill that bears
his name. In pushing it despite the opposition
of many Republicans he has shown that same
courage and independence which mas Deen
of his long career of public
service. In this present instance he is douDly
right and Mr.. Fish is, if possible, douDly
wrong.