Evening star., 1942-10-26

determine the needs of Army or
industry.
He emphasized, however, if there
was only "one man left in the
world he would go into the Army
Basis Up to Services.
THE Army and the Navy shall
decide the basis of acceptance, but
the selective service system has the
power to DEFER" he said.
Senator Downey, Democrat, OF
California said he had been in
formed by draft boards in his State
they were inducting men over IS
years of age they knew were too
old for military duty. He said that
it was his opinion these men would
have to be returned to civilian life
and he asked Gen. Hershey whether
he had the power to stop such in
ductions.
Gen. Hershey said this power is
in the hands of the military.
Asked why he did not stop such
inductions he replied THAT when
the Army orders us to stop we will
be glad to do So" The average age
of induction is around q, he ex-
planned.
Senator Downey said the draft
boards had described a gloomy
picture to him over the deferment
of "big, strapping youngsters" work.
ing in aircraft and shipbuilding
plants and inducing older men He
said he thought the youngsters
should go into the Army and the
older men should replace them in
industry.
The selective service director is
to have received informa-
ton from farm districts last week
that prompted Senator Tydings of
Maryland successfully to push
through the Senate an amendment
to the 'teen-age draft bill, which
would virtually freeze agriculture
workers in their jobs when they can
not be replaced.
The amendment was reported to-
day to have the approval of Eco
nomic Director James F. Byrnes,
whose advisory board is expected to
begin a study of the manpower
question soon.
Special Meeting to Be Resumed.
Meantime, the War ManpoWer
Commission was preparing to re-
sumo its special meeting this after
noon for further deliberations on
the farm labor problem. The full
commission met Saturday to hear a
selective service report that unless
the situation is met, food short
age next year is likely.
Senator Tydings yesterday also
predicted a possible food shortage"
next year unless quick action was
taken to plug the gaps in the ranks
of farm labor. In radio address,
the Marylander said he had received
numerous letters from constituents
which meant "just one thing, that
a whole lot less food is going to be
produced in 1943 than in 1942.
Gen. Hershey, a member of the
Manpower Commission, is on rec
ord against the need for compul-
sorry legislation at this time
AS the committee resumed its
hearings, Chairman Reynolds said
he had not heard from Paul v. Nc
Mutt. manpower chief, as to whether
he would abide by the committee S
request to submit draft of the
compulsory legislation the commits
sion is preparing to submit to
President Roosevelt.
However, the House Special Mi
grant Investigation Committee
made public today a statement SUBJ
mitted to it by Mr.. McNutt, in which
he stated that compulsory powers,
in short, must be held in reserve
rather than kept in constant use" "
IF they have to be used con-
stantly the whole system becomes
unavoidable" he said, adding:
I'm democratic country people
must be mobilized by invoking their
free will in a cooperative enter
prise. The fact is not changed in
the least by passage of a national
service act.
"The term national service often
raises in peoples mind the specter
of dictatorial government moving
people about with no regard to their
convenience and forcing them into
jobs which may be contrary to their
training and interest.
Il should like to point out that
this notion is entirely false and
contrary to all experience in Great