Evening star., 1940-09-07
6O-Day Delay
In Draft May Go
To Conference
House Leaders Hope
For Passage of Bill
This Evening
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

AS House leaders hoped for pas
sage of the Burke-Wadsworth mill
tary training bill this evening, there
were indications they may rely on
conferees to work out compromise
with the Senate on the effective date
OF the draft instead of trying to
knock out the Fish 60-day postpone
ment on House roll call
Shortly after the House met today
it accepted an amendment by Rep
resentative Harness, Republican, OF
Indiana to allow merchants and
customers who are called for mill
tary service to enter into an agree
ment to govern the disposition Of
articles that are being bought on
the inStallment plan. Mr.. Harness
said existing law would prevent such
mutual agreements.
The House turned down an effort
by Representative O'Connor, Demo-
crat, of Montana to tighten the sec
ton requiring private employers to
rehire trainees on their return un-
less it is impossible or unreason-
able" to do So Mr.. O'Connor sought
to strike out "or unreasonable" but
failed.
The major issue still awaiting ac-
ton as the members assembled to-
day was revision of the Senate's
Russell-Overton industrial draft
plan. which would enable the War
and Navy Departments to take over
Immediately, and then acquire
through court condemnation. any
factory necessary for national de-
fense work if satisfactory arrange
ments cannot be made for its oper-
alton by the owners.
Two Substitutes Pending.
The House probably will adopt one
OF two substitutes based on giving
national defense orders priority in
any factory, and empowering the
Government 20 take over on a rental
basis any plant that does not CO.
operate.
The Military Affairs Committee
has recommended the substitute of
Representative Smith, Democrat. of
Connecticut. Representative Vim
son, Democrat, of Georgia will offer
an alternative, similar in general
terms. but eliminating the part of
the Smith amendment imposing a.
$4,000 fine and a three-year jail
sentence on any manufacturer fall
ing to comply with Government
priority orders. The Vinson plan
also gives the Advisory Commission
on National Defense voice In de-
termining when a concern is not
cooperating.
Both Majority Leader Rayburn
and Chairman May of the Military
Committee insist no decision has
been reached whether to try to kill
the 60-day postponement amend
ment by demanding roll call vote
on 1t before the bill passes the
House. But their non -committal
attitude strengthened reports they
may let the question go to confer
ence with the Senate.
Compromise Is Suggested.
The Fish amendment went into
the bill tentatively in Committee
leaves any member free to demand
a record vote in the House on the
action of the Committee of the
Whole. Under the Fish proposal,
men between 81 and A, inclusive,
could be registered Immediately, but
could not be drafted until the Army
has spent so days trying to get the
first increment of 100000 by volun-
teer enlistment.
One suggested compromise heard
today was to let the local draft
boards proceed to examine and
classify the men who register. and
then give those who fall in Glass
an opportunity to volunteer before
they are inducted into service.
The last major step taken by the
House before yesterdays recess was
to adopt, lis to 95, the motion of
Representative Austin, Republican,
of Connecticut, that men be indicted
for training only as adequate hous-
ing and health facilities are avail
able for them. Committee members
insisted this would be the policy of
the Army in any event, but sup
porters of the amendment contend
ed it should be mandatory.
Congressional Eligibility Debated.
House members debated at length
whether they should leave in or
take out of the bill the paragraph
deferring the conscription of men,
bers of Congress, along with State
legislators and the judiciary, for
(See CONSCRIPTIoN, Page A-20