Evening star., 1940-08-13
The Political Mill
Popular Referendum on Conscription Is Seen
Breaking Down Representative Government

of William Green. president of the
American Federation of Labor. The
delegates to the State convention
voted, 269 to 8, for a resolution IA
voring universal military training,
laid before them by the Resolutions
Committee, after many speakers
had taken the floor in its support.
John j. Kearney, delegate in
the convention, took the lead in the
fight for the conscription resolu-
ton. He told the delegates: There
are those who would leave our gates
open to any enemy to walk in and
take the country. That's the fifth
columnist. There is a little trap
in 5000 miles away-why we
are safe attitude, that's the voice
of the fifth columnist and the Fas-
cist, Don't let yourselves be mis-
guided"
This advice apparently seemed
sound to the delegates to the labor
convention.
The newspapers in Boston and
other parts of Massachusetts are
giving strong support to the plan
for universal military training and
service, The Boston Traveller, for
example, in a recent editorial did
not mince words. Discussing the
question of volunteer enlistments as
opposed to conScription, the edi-
torial said: Let us tell you some
thing. The newspapers of the
United States a few months ago
co-operated with the military forces
of the United States in an appeal
for volunteers. The thing was a
flop, and no fault of the newspapers,
either.
"Volunteers-Hitler would be in
the White House for years before
this country could raise a volunteer
army big enough to defend the
Gulf of Mexico, and we are not
criticizing young men who did not
volunteer. We are criticizing a
state of mind of Congress that
pussyfoots for votes rather than gets
tough against tough dictator and
his forces Of frightfulness. Look at
England today and you may see us
tomorrow"
Senate May Cause Delay.
II reports be true, Congress is
determined already to pass the uni
versal military training bill-a ma
Jority of Congress. 1t may be that
the vote in the Senate on the con-
scription bill will be delayed until
next week-though it should not be
delayed at all Some of the mem
bers of that body, Democrats as well
as Republicans, may wish to put
Mr.. Willkie on record before the
vote is taken. The question of ma
tlonal defense. however. far tram
scends Jockeying for political ad-
vantage.
Should the Wheeler plan for a
referendum on the draft bill be
seriously attempted. the delay in
the adoption of the only democratic
as well as the only practical-way
OF obtaining an army capable of
defending this country and the
Western Hemisphere would be haz-
aroouS. 1t Is the kind of thing that
would play right into the hands of
the possible attackers of this coun-
try. 1t is the kind of thing that
would delight the group in this
country which believes that it is
possible to "appease" the totalitArian
powers and which prefers that
course to armed resistance.
The argument is advanced that
conscription for military service
should take place only in time of
actual war. 1t is just as sensible
to say that we should only attempt
to build up big Navy after war has
been declared. 1t is neither possible
to build a war vessel nor create a
soldier or a bluejacket in a few
short months. In world which has
turned from peaceful methods of
settling international disputes to
armed force it is little short of
criminal to argue that the United
States should let the world wae as
it will while we wait to see what
will happen.