The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-11-26

Wd1CA1S pSriOu OGLWGSn lOW dAlu
the converting of the new con-
gress on January 3, it isn't ex-
pected that congress will act on
any matters of great importance
The President has indicated that
he probably will not ask the pre-
sent congress for any special
legislation, and the session of con-
gress are being poorly attended
Observers, however, were pie
ased to see that Senator Barkley
majority leader of the senate
is willing to take drastic action
to demand attendance of members
when a vote is to be taken. This
came up when a quorum wasn'
present to vote on the poll tax
repeal measure and Senator Bark
ley finally put through an order
that members of the senate known
to be in Washington who were
not present be arrested anc
brought to the session.
The Democratic majority in the
house, which at first was worried
over the new Republican strength
which will be added when the
new congress meets, now seems
to be taking the change philoso'
phically and some Democratic
congressman have confided that
they have discovered a slicer lin,
ing in the Republican gains.
They explain it this way: Fol
the past two years Republicans
have opposed many war measures
and other legislation which they
knew ahead of time would pass
no matter which way they voted
They knew their protest votes
would be overridden so they could
take potshots at the Democrat
view without danger of any serl-
Gus repercusSions. From now on
however, with the parties almost
balanced, both will have to as
sumo an equal share of RESPONSE
bility for congressional action on
war issues.
From this viewpoint, the Demo
Gratis also are giving favorable
consideration to the Republican
demands for more representatives
on important committees. By so
doing they see that they can shift
part of the responsibility for the
progress of the war to the Repub-
licans and they are glad to share
this responsibility.
On domestic matters, however,
all concessions will be made
grudgingly by the Democrats,
who will do everything possible
to prevent the Republicans from
upsetting the New Deal program.
There are apt to be plenty OF
violent fights when the new con-
gress meets, but they will be
largely confined to domestic is
sues, such as the spending of
money for non-war programs and
over the governments attitude to-
ward labor. The two parties are
likely to work together closely
on all issues directly concerned
with the war.
The Republicans are expected
to force an end to such waste as
was brought to the attention of
the public by the joint congress
sional economy committee, head
ed by Senator Byrd. who said
that the Civil Service now en-
ploys about 100000 people. Sen
ator Byrd demanded that one"
third of these workers be dis
missed calling it criminal" to use
so much manpower in this way
during wartime.
With the passage of the meas
ure for drafting young men in
the 18 to 19 group, and the pro-
liability that more married men
will be drafted during the next
two months, action to prevent
further voluntary enlistments be-
come greater possibility. The
records show that young men who
expected to be drafted have been
leaving skilled jobs in war pro-
duction plants and flocking to
recruiting stations to be able to
choose the branch of the service
they want before they are called
by their draft boards. The danger
Of this was brought forcibly to
the attention of reporters when
Donald Nelson, head of the War
Production board, said:
''Unless some means is found to
discourage voluntary enlistments
of workers doing essential Jobs in
war industries. the war produc-
ton effort will suffer a severe
setback over the coming months. :"
Under the present setup, where
men who enlist can pick the
branch of the service of their
choice, while draftees have no
voice in what disposition is made
of them, thousands of young men
are eager to get the jump on the