Evening star., 1942-11-08
100000 Married. Men
Face Induction in
Army Next Month !.
Need Coused by Congress
Delay in Passage Of ~
Teen-Aee Draft Bill
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ably would not start until. about
January /. i1s
Process Takes 30 to 40 Days.
Selective service officials said i
would take from 30 to 40 days aftel
the bill becomes law to process the
teen-age youths and begin induct.
Ing them into the Army. Ever
that estimate is below the usua
time for processing selectees anc
may indicate a streamlining of draf
procedure.
Those who have become 10 sine,
the June 80 registration may b.
asked to register shortly or an ar.
rangement may be made under
which each youth would be required
to report to his local board fol
registration within five days after
his 18th birthday.
In a recent warning to congress
sional committees, Maj. Gen. Levi!
B. Hershey, director of selectiv,
service, declared it would be neces.
sary to call 100000 married mer
without children to fill November
calls. He testified that if the draf
age were lowered from 20 to 18 i'm.
mediately, the new eligibles could bt
called in December. That was or
October IA, two days after President
Roosevelt told the Nation in radio
address that lowering the draft age
was an immediate necessity.
Confirming Senator Reynolds
opinion on the results of the delay
Senator Gurney, Republican, Of
South Dakota, blamed the failure tt
act more quickly on the congress
sional controversy raging around q
Senate amendment requiring a
years military training after induc-
ton before 18 and 10 year old selec-
tees could be sent into combat
abroad.
Restriction May Be Dropped.
That restriction, strongly opposed
by the War Department., may be
eliminated from the new bill in con-
ference this week, unless the House
binds it's conferees otherwise tomor-
row. -,-..
Before the House sends the meas
ure to conference tomorrow, Repre-
sentative Rankin, Democrat, OF Mis-
sissippi, will make fight to instruct
the conferees to accept the Senate
mandatory training period, and the
vote on his motion is likely to settle
the controversy one way or the
other.
Although Mr.. Rankin was opti-
mistic yesterday over the chances
for his motion, there were others
who felt the odds are against bind
ing the conferees., This view was
strengthened by the announcement
of Minority Leader Martin of Mas
sachusetts that he is against In
structing the conferees.
Without discussing the merits OF
the one-year training requirement
Mr.. Martin took the position there
should be a free conference on the
bill.
Compromise Talk Heard.
There was some talk yesterday in
Senate quarters of a possible COM
promise on six months of training,
or provision that no draftee be
sent overseas Until he is 10.
Refusal of the House to instruct
Its conferees to accept the Senate
amendment would not in itself pre-
vent the conferees from reaching
that decision, or from meeting on
some middle ground. Actually,
however, defeat of the Rankin mo-
ton would strengthen greatly the
contention of the military authori-
ties that no uniform training period
should be imposed, and would make
it much more likely that the ques-
ton of training would be left to
the Army instead of being settled
on a compromise basis.
In opposing a fixed training
period, Army officials have pointed
out that the length of time neces-
sary to fit an inductee for his duties
varies for different branches of the
service. They emphasized that ir
q mechanical Army there are many
tasks of mechanical nature to be
performed, for which men can be.
come qualified In four months. They
explained also that, while it may
take a year to organize new di-
vision into a smooth -functionine
outfit. individuals may be fitted into
a trained division in less time.
Chairman Reynolds said if the
House appoints it's conferees to-
morrow, he would try to arrange
a conference Immediately. 1t may
be Thursday, however, before ac'
ton is completed by both house
and the bill sent to the President
In addition to the year OF train
Ing provision, the conferees mus
settle the fate of the Senate amend
ment deferring agricultural worker
as long as they remain In tina
work.
100000 a Month Face Call.
Senator Reynolds said he did no
believe the bill could become Law
until late next week, nearly a month
after Gen. Hersheys appearance
thus delaying the induction sched
ule of 18 and 10 year olds by
month.
Gen. Hershey had said that II