Evening star., 1942-09-03
Senate Democrats
Cool 10 Proposals
For Drafting Youths
BorkIey Says No Request
For Lowering Age Hos
Come From White House

Senate Democratic leaders pro-
fessed little taste today for Repub-
lican proposals to draft youths of 18
and 49, and one warned against
mobilizing on Army so great as to
endanger the Nations efficiency as
'the arsenal of democracy"
Senate Majority Leader Barkley
told reporters he had received no
request from the White House or
selective service headquarters for
any change in the draft law. He
would support such action. he said,
only on request stating that 1T is
necessary"
At the same time, Chairman May
of the House Military Affairs Com
mittee expressed belief that mar
ried men with dependent wives and
children should not be called into
service for another year and half.
He said he based his opinion on a
selective service survey of manpower
requirements and figures obtained
during recent conference with
Selective Service Director Lewis B..
Hershey.
Selective Service Silent.
Selective Service refused to make
any comment on the May statement.
However, other sources indicated MI
MAYS figures were not based on &C
Qualities. For one thing, the Army
is not taking men with venereal
diseases, a class on whom Mr.. May
counted for 10000 men. 1t also was
pointed out that the Is and l9 year
old group could not be counted on
for more than 100000 soldiers as
Mr.. May figured because OF the
number in this group who already
have enlisted in the Navy and other
branches of the service.
Mr.. May contended that an army
of approximately 100000 could be
raised without dropping the age
limit to Is years by taking in married
men with no children, single men
now deferred for dependency, as
we'll as approximately 100000 classi-
fed for limited military service,
"a, 1000 in the illiterate group, 10000
Of the 10000 previously deferred be-
cause of venereal diseases, 200, 900 OF
the 100000 in the Az classification
and approximately 100000 of those
now deferred for essential jobs.
Mr.. May said that, if it became
necessary after taking those steps,
the Army could be increased to a
strength of 100000 by dropping
the age limit to 18 before drawing
on married men with dependents.
He predicted that the War Depart
ment probably would ask Congress
by January / to lower the minimum
draft age to 18 years.
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of
Utah of the Military Affairs Com
mittee, expressed little sympathy for
a move to induct younger men. He
told reporters the Is and 10 year
olds should be permitted an addi-
tional year or two for the education
that can make a good lieutenant
out of an average private. ,,..., d.
= ic'"'ff1honi Thomas Sounds Warning.
"Care should be taken" he said,
against going to the extreme In
mobilization of an army in view
of our commitments to-supply- our
own forces and our Allies with am
munition, food and the other ma
terials of war"
OF a Nation of approximately
I30, 900 900, Senator Thomas went
on, there are approximately Co.
600 900 between 20 and so, and half
of that number are women.
"An armed service of 100000
will require one of every three men
in that group" he added, while out
of that group must come most OF
the skilled men who produce the
weapons this arsenal of democracy
must furnish the United Nations
Senator Taft, Republican, OF Ohio,
declaring the administration was
waiting until after the November
election" before asking further draft
legislation, said he was preparing
legislation for the induction OF
youths under 20. The measure, he
said, would embrace the whole ques-
tion of voluntary distribution of
manpower, and cover selection of
married men on basis of age groups
and dependencies.
Senator Gurney, Republican, of
South Dakota also drafted an
amendment which he said he would
offer today to authorize induction of
younger men so that they may be
trained and prepared if they have to