Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-04
Returning Congress
Faces Battle Over
Training Draftees

Vote on leen-Age biII
Seen as Test Of Foith
In U. S. Leadership
By the Associated Press.
The pendulum Of wartime home
front attention swung today from
political trends and fortunes back to
an impending showdown on Capitol
Hill that some legislators contend
will supply q gauge of congressional
faith in the Nations military leader
ship.
The issue was clearly drawn, in
one question:
Will Congress, against the advice
OF President Roosevelt and military
leaders, retain in the teen-age draft
bill a stipulation, inserted by the
Senate, that the l8-l9-year-olds be
held from combat until they have
had full years training?
Bills Veto Hinted.
Congressional headquarters heard
that the Army would rather have
. no lowering of the draft age at
all if the legislation must pass the
pre-combat requirements. There
even were Limits that such re-
quirement would result in a veto for
the bill
Representatives Thomson, Dem
ocrat. of Texas, ranking member of
the House Military Affairs Commit
tee, and Sparkman, Democrat, Of
Alabama, another committee men,
Der, told newspapermen that in
their opin.on the House vote next
Monday, on whether the Senate
amendment should be retained,
would amount to vote Of conf
dence. or lack of confidence, in those
directing the war.
Both Senate and House have de-
creed that Is and 10 year olds be
indicted into military service, but
the Senate inserted the training
stipulation. After the House votes
Monday the bill will be sent to a
conference committee for adjust
ment.
Representative Rankin. Democrat,
of Mississippi has announced he
would move that the House accept
the Senate amendment and demand
a roll-call vote.
Have Five Major Problems.
While overshadowing all else in
public interest, the teen-age draft
was but one of the varied and pithy
problems confronting the closing
days of the Seventy-seventh Con-
gress. Whether winners or losers
in yesterdays balloting, the incum-
bent Senators and House members,
all serving until the converting OF
| the new Congress in January. will
have before them these PROPOSE
tons:
l. That President Roosevelt be
given sweeping power for wartime
suspension of any law, particularly
tariffs, found interfering with the
free movement of persons, prop
erty and information" into and out
of the United States. The Presi-
dent requested that authority in a
special message to Congress Mon
day. saying there were many leg
islative obstacles to that movement
which impede and delay our pro-
duction effort" ,-lssss...,4 $500
2. Final disposition Of legislation
requested by Economic Director
James F. Byrnes, for Federal regu-
lation OF rentals on al real prop
erty, both residential and CONNER
cial. and for control Of charges by
hotels and rooming houses. The
House has passed the measure anc
it now is before the Senate.
3. Senate disposition also Of the
controversial bill to outlaw the pol
tax as requirement for voting in
Federal elections. The tax is re-
quired in eight Southern States
The House has passed the bill. but
it may face a f1libuster if it is
brought up in the Senate.
4. A proposal that women in the
Navy and Coast Guard Reserves be
permitted to serve overseas. The
Navy Department has recommended
that the present ban against use OF
the WAVES on foreign assignments
be removed. The WAVES now are
restricted to duty in continental
United States, though their Army
counterpart, the WAACS, may serve
anywhere.
5. Various propositions to revamp
the fighting services, the Washing
ton, wartime agencies. and re-
vision of congressional procedure
all aimed at more punch in dealing
with the enemy. There are pro-
posals to combine the Army, Navy
and Marine Corps into a single
fighting force, directed by one COM
mander and wearing one type OF
uniform; to create a congressional
high command" through q joint
Senate House committee to CO.
ordinate and expedite wartime legis-
lation, and to reorganize Federal
| agencies by establishment of an
overall ONCE of war mobilization
guided by an economic general
staff" In view of the limited time
however. there appeared little likeli-
hood that the present Congress
would deal finally with these propo-
sitionS.
Farm Bloc Fight Seen.
The agenda includes no manpowel
legislation, as recent Developments
have created doubt that Mr.. Roose-
welt will seek a civilian service bill
in this Congress. But II he does
Capitol Hill observers believe 4 con-
troversy would be precipitated that
would engage the lawmakers right
up to the year end.
Some Senators and House men,
bers saw signs of another. farm bloc
fiRht In the making ON the question