Evening star., 1940-07-26
La Guardia Supports,
Thomas Opposes
Conscription Bill
Mayor Urges Committee
To Concentrate Truinino
Among Younger Class
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

Immediately military training won
the strong Endorsement of New
York's liberal Mayor La Guardia
before the House Military Affairs
Committee today while Norman
Thomas, Socialist candidate for
President, condemned the measure
as a step toward totalitarianism.
Without mincing words the dy-
manic Mayor warned the committee
that Havana conferences and talk
of unity will mean little unless the
United States is prepared to defend
this hemisphere.
He approved registration of all
men from l8 to IS but urged the
committee to concentrate the train
ing among the younger men just out
of high school to minimize disloca-
ton of industry and to lessen the
need of taking those with depend
ents.
Attacks Army's Assurances.
Mr.. Thomas, on the other hand.
declared that:
The methods by which some con-
scription bill is being rushed
through. smack far more of loyalty
to the principle of leadership as
followed in totalitarian countries
than of free discussion"
He attacked verbal assurances
made recently by Army officials that
men of draft age with dependents
would not be conscripted and sought
more permanent assurance than
the word of an Army officer" that
this would be possible
But you cannot adopt any bill for
conscript military service under the
capitalist state" Mr.. Thomas de-
clared, which will not make it a
form of slavery for the individuals
who fall under it. You cannot adopt
any bill which will provide great
conscript armies without providing
an enormous impetus for American
militarism and imperialism. Arma-
ment makers. investment bankers
and oil prospectors will be provided
by this measure with an Army so
powerful that it will be a standing
temptation to them and to their
Government to impose their will by
force on our neighbors.'
Mayor La Guardia said some peo-
pie talk vaguely about the danger
confronting this country "as though
they expected an attack from
Mars" The Mayor made it clear he
regards the danger as much more
real. Although he did not mention
any nation by name. he asserted
there are two countries that may
attack US, but not If we are
prepared
Agree on National Unity.
When Chairman May called his
attention to German warnings to
South America on trade relations.
the Mayor said Europeans do not
understand freedom of speech in
America. For that reason. he said.
they are encouraged to believe there
is no national unity in this country
because men disagree in public
discussion of questions.
They don't understand" the
Mayor continued, that DR.. Thomas
and I can come here and disagree
on this and then go out of here
without our cohorts shooting at
each other
When he took the stand. DR..
Thomas said he and the Mayor do
agree on the question of unity, but
differ on how to build up the Ma
tons morale.
Mayor La Guardia. who was once
member of the committee he was
addressing. urged Congress to deal
with the bill as a nonpartisan issue
His testimony appeared to carry
added weight with committee mem
bers because he had opposed mill
tary training while a member of
the committee in 1919. He said
IN answer to a question that he
had completely changed his mind.
1t was my conviction at that
time" the Mayor explained, that
we really had accomplished some
thing in the World War, and that
at no time would we again confront
situation such as brought on that
war and our participation in it."
He had taken part in that war as
an officer in the Air Corps, but, re-
turning to conditions today, he said:
I'm convinced our country-any
more than any other country-can't
depend on solemn pledge in
treaties. 1t doesn't mean anything
any more"
The old advantage of great dis
tance on which this country for
merly relied has been almost en-
tlrely eliminated" Mayor La
Guardia warned
Speaking with Candor, the Mayor
leaned across the witness table to-
ward the committee and earnestly
told the members:
Defense Gigantic Proposition"
We can't fool anybody about this
situation. In the days of hand-to-
hand combat nation of courageous
men didn't need much time for
preparation. But the time is gone
when personal courage is enough.
Defense today is a gigantic me-
chanlcal proposition. and you can't
move 1t unless men are trained"
Meanwhile, the Senate Military
Committee was perfecting its plan
to use the Wagner Labor Relations
Act to help protect the jobs of men
called for selective military training
Interest centered chiefly in the
efforts announced late yesterday by
the committee to safeguard as far as
possible the employment status of the
men between 81 and As who may be
inducted for military training. The
registrants below and above those
age limits would be held in reserve
only for home defense units.
Objectives Decided.
Although the exact language re-