Evening star., 1940-09-14
The Political Mill
Industrial Conscription Again Delays Passage
Of Droft Bill, but Apparently Not Long

of warfare which has been let loose
on the world. They are the people
who are backing the draft to obtain
and train the men necessary for
defense. Today England alone
stands in the path of the totalitar-
ian states which are seeking to con-
troll all Europe. If they do control
that portion of the earth, what is
to stop them from controlling the
rest-unless it be the United States?
With the weapons at hand, on the
sea, under the sea and In the air
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are
no longer the great defense from
abroad which the Americas once
enjoyed.
Congressional leaders yesterday
were primed to dispose finally of the
draft bill with the adoption of the
conference report on the measure by
both the Senate and House. Their
plan, however, was temporarily up
set. BY a vote of 81 to SO the upper
house ordered the bill recommitted
to the Conference Committee, with
instructions to accept the House pro-
vision for the conscription Of indus
trial plants Senator Nicely of West
Virginia made the motion. He him.
self voted for the passage of the
draft bill when it was before the
Senate. His contention last night,
however. was that the conferees had
so modified the Smith amendment.
which was adopted by the House,
and the Overton-R Russell amend
ment, which was adopted by the
Senate. that it had removed all the
teeth from the provision. His
charge was that men would be con-
scripted for military service, but that
the industrialists - wealth - would
escape
Opponents of the draft bill were
not slow to jump at the chance Of
another delav They lined up for
the Neelv motion to recommit. And
so another dav passed without final
action on the measure. 1t does not
appear. however, that the delav will
be long. Indeed. the conferees i'm
mediately took action and the meas
IRE will be taken up aoain in the
Senate today. The conference re-
port will go to the House for ap-
proval as soon as it has been adopt
ed BY the Senate-action which is
now expected unless a filibuster
should develop.
Delay Baked in Conference.
The confereeS knocked out Of the
draft bill the amendment offered
BY Representative Fish of New
York which would have delayed
the operation of the draft for so
days-or until after election day in
November. The Fish amendment
was held in the bill by majority
of only seven votes just before it
passed the House. 1t is not believed.
however. that the House will upset
the conference report. Rather. it
is believed the House will approve
the report and the measure then
will go to the President for his
approval.
President Roosevelt is fighting to
hold the labor vote in the New Deal
camp. Polls recently taken have
indicated that. while a ma jority of
organized labor is still friendly to the
President. he has lost caste with
considerable number of the workers.
His speech to the Teamsters' Union
Wednesday night was an open bid
for the support of labor in the presi-
dental race Yesterday he sent to
the Congress copies of principles
laid down by the National Defense
Advisory Commission governing the
letting of national defense contracts
and of a statement OF principles
regarding labor requirements. In
both it is made abundantly clear
that labor is to be safeguarded in
all the powers it has obtained under
New Deal legislation.