Evening star., 1941-07-26
The Political Mill
Seleetees in Army Should Understand
Serious Emergency Confronts Country

OnIS SOuntIf
adopted by the Senate, declared
that the Congress condemned
strikes in national defense plants.
The House struck out both these
amendments and refused to place
any anti-strike provisions in the
bill. as it passed that body. In
conference, the Connally amend
ment was resurrected, but
changed so as to make no use of
the word strike" and the Byrd
amendment was stricken out en-
tirely. The bill does permit the
President to take over struck
plants, when vital production is
impeded-but the feelings of the
unions are spared to the extent
that no direct mention is made
of strikes"
A tremendous drive by the G.
l o. was made upon members of
the House to prevent any refer
ence to strikes. being left in the
bill--a drive that was entirely
successful. Join the union army,
and it is entirely permissible to
petition Congress, to browbeat
members of Congress by threats
of political retaliation at the polls
next year, if any legislation is
put through seeking to curtail
strikes in plants making vitality
necessary arms and munitions for
national defense.
1t would be deplorable situa-
ton now if the Army of the
United States should undertake
to use the methods of this union
army to force Congress to do
its will. The next step would
be to let the Army vote on
whether it should go to war or
Motif and when that emer-
gency arises. Or it might take
the military into politics in big
way, placing the Army in the
position of dominating the whole
country.
Filibuster Doubted.
The Senate Military Affairs
Committee late yesterday virtu-
ally agreed to write a joint reso-
luton, proclaiming that the
interests of the country are i'm
periled and that the situation
requires the retention of all
groups, selectees and National
Guardsmen included, in the serv-
ice during the present emer-
gency. 1t will not, it is said,
declare full emergency and
thereby bring into operation
many laws now on the statute
books giving the President far
NluCI lbN-
tee also has agreed to remove
from the Draft Act the proviso
that not more than 100000 shall
be drafted into the military serv-
ice at one time. All reference
to the use of the Guardsmen and
the selectees beyond the bounds
of the Western Hemisphere will
be omitted from the resolution,
and the present prohibition
against such use will stand.
With the Military Affairs Com
mittee in practical agreement, it
is expected to be only question
of time before the resolution is
passed by the Upper House, per-
haps next week. Many amend
ments will be offered from the
floor, and debated. But the ex-
pectation is that the debate will
not be long drawn out-and there
seems to be no intention any
where to start a filibuster against
action. The House is expected to
put through a similar resolu-
ton, although it will probably
not be in a position to act until
after the Senate has completed
its work, due to the fact that the
new revenue bill is slated to
come before the House next week.
The passage of such a resolu-
ton by Congress is expected to
help considerably in convincing
not only the country, but the men
themselves, now In the camps,
that the emergency is most seri-
Gus and requires longer periods
Of service.