The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-30

pass the bill Friday so it could go to conference with the Senate the following week.
 Why They Signed It
 The minority report surprised May. The five members whc signed it, but voted for the bill in com- mittee, explained that they had so voted because they thought the en- tire membership was entitled to debate and act on so important a measure.
 The vote in committee was 20 to in favor of the House bill which would make all men between the ages of 21 and 45 liable to one year of military service. The four mem bers who voted against it were Reps. c. Arthur Anderson, D., Mo-, Paul w. Shafer, R., Mich, Forest A. Har- ness, R., Ind, and by proxy, Edwin M. Schaefer, D., IlE
 "Conscription of manpower," the minority said, "is urged as neces- sary to defense against imminent peril to this country.
 "The imminence of these perils is pure assumption, but even if we were to grant that America is in real and immediate danger from without, the course we propose to follow may lead to even more seri- ous internal hazards.
 Merely First Step
 "Conscription of manpower will be merely first step. Proposals for total conscriptoin of wealth and productive facilities will follow in- evitably. In fact, the groundwork for a totalitarian military economy has already been very largely com- pleted. The Senate has already voted to conscript industry in time of peace.
 '"The minority holds .. That this proposal and others inevitably to follow to conscript man power, conscript the farmers, conscript in- dustry, conscript labor to run in- dustry and conscript the wealth of the nation is not only unnecessary at this time to the adequate defense of the country, but that it is 8 dis tinct and dangerous departure which will lead ultimately to the destruc- ton of the American form of gov- ernment in @ totalitarian, military economy"
 The minority held that voluntary enlistments would give the army more men than it could equip prop erly for some time in the future, and quoted Defense Commissioner William s. Knudson as having said that "it will be in 1942 before there will be complete equipment for 750,- 900 men,"
 The age limits for conscription, and Senate provision for permit ting the government to take over industrial plants by condemnation in event private manufacturers re- fused to cooperate, were the only serious differences that threatend a fight between Senate and House.
 Must be Compromise
 Leaders believed the House would agree to the committees recom- mendation that all men btwen 21 and 45 be liable to the draft, indi- eating possible compromise be- tween that maximum and the Sen- ate's 31-year maximum.
 The House committee planned a special study over the week. end of the Senate's communicating amend ment, and may sponsor a similar provision for inclusion in the House bill when it reaches the floor.
 House members, however, includ- ing Chairman May felt that the Sen- ate provision went too far in auth orizing the war and navy depart ment to take over and operate pri- vate plants during the time con- demnation proceedings were being decided in the courts.
 Rep. Joseph Smith, D., Conn, was seeking to work out with Rep. Over ton Brooks, D., La., an amendment which would protect the manufac- turer against losing control of his own plant until after the courts had decided the issue.
 Brooks sponsored the Senate amendment in committee yesterday. but after discussion the whole sub ject was put over for final consid- eratoin at meeting next Tuesday.