The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-15

4ASSSS SSAAASS WY J JSSSSs$ wee in keeping Selectees in Servi
 It had been suggested that MT Roosevelt would accept a comprom- ise to keep duardsmen and Re- servists in service indefinitely, while merely offering inducements to Selectees to enlist upon comple- ton of their years training.
 Marshall was said to have told the President and his legislative advisers, however, that the Army would melt away" if seleetees are released.
 After MT. Roosevelt had heard all sides, including the assurances by Senate leaders that they could obtain majority support for the administration plan and the warn- lngs of House leaders that he was riSking a major defeat, he decided to make the fight to keep all hands under arms.
 No Outside Service
 The administration yielded only on the question of statutory per- mission for selecteeS to serve out- side the western hemisphere. But MT. Roosevelt had not endorsed that particular proposal of Marshalls anyway.
 An effort may be made to dispose of the whole question simply by having congress adopt Q joint reso- lution asserting that the national inc terest is imperiled and the men must remain under arms. But there Is some opposition to that plan which is not advanced by adminis- traSion leaders-oia grounds that 1t might add to Mir. Roosevelt'S al- ready large executive powers.
 Apprehensive House leaders said they doubted that they could obtain more than half c dozen Republican votes to keep selectees in service and were afraid they would lose 60 to 90 Democratic votes.
 First tests of congressional senti- ment will come tomorrow when the Senate military affairs committee hearings begin on the bill to make military service last as long as the emergency. The program also is to put the question to Q vote first in the Senate because opposition is less there. Chairman Robert R. Reynolds, D., N. O., of the Senate military affairs committee, was re- ported agreeing with Majority Lead CT Alben w. Barkley, D., Ky, that the administration could win the Senate. Reynolds is not regarded as a supporter of the legislation.
 Would ImperiI Nation
 Marshall will appear before the House military affairs committee to- day on another matter. There is a possibility that he might renew his assertion that to permit "disintegra- ton" of the army by leasing selec- tees would imperil the nation.
 Party politics do not figure pre- dominantly in the difference of opinion which finds some of MT. RooSevelt'S key legislative leaders reluctant to support his request that selectees. National Guardsmen and reservists be kept in service beyond the existing one-year limit. The more explosive question of lifting the restriction which forbids as- signment of selectees to service out side the western hemisphere appar- ently has been abandoned, at least for the time being.
 Although Barkley's support and Reynolds reported position were cheering to the administration, there Is substantial Senate opposition and scant evidence as of now of en- thusiasm for extending the period of service. But leaders had been con- fident they could carry both Houses for the compromise rejected by the army.
 As the battle begins, 1t looks as though MT. Roosevelt must win 1t to avoid damaging the administrn- tons prestige abroad. But it is recalled that the record shows he has won more vital contests of that kind than he has lost since March {, ieS3--and the tally is iop- sided h his favor.
 C0ngresBzmen Alarmed
 MAFshall's 0ff~the-recOrd explan- ation of why the nation would De Imperlled by scheduled release of limited service men has alarmed some of the eongressmen who have heard it. Others are clamlng for public revelation Of the story as Marshall reported lt. There aFe predictions that congress and the public weuld be shocked if the story ware ted.
 Dut. even so, there is little dis- ceEninle Senate eaathualaGm for keeps ing either eeleetees CT National uuaFdsnlen in service beyond the l1.monehs originally stipulated. Wollse support iH les evident, and neiehep MeCornlaek aer nnyhuFn he- ilsven now that the House would vote e retain s4leetees.
 @E'm asainft that proposition, 2