Evening star., 1942-10-19
Senate Group y
Formally 0. K. S
Youth Draft
Use Of Teen-Age
Troops VitoI, Says
Committee Report
Earlier Story on Page A-1.)
Sy the Associated Press

NLdTllcr StOry on rage ALL
BY the Associated Press.
The Senate Military Affairs
Committee today urged speedy
approval of legislation to draft
18 and 10 year old men for mill
tary service with an assertion
that "the very national existence
is dependent" on the use of such
men in the armed forces.
1t was agreed to take up the
measure Thursday for debate.
Reporting formally legislation
similar to that passed overwhelm-
ingly by the House Saturday, the
committee asserted that IF Amer
lea is to survive, if it is to continue
to be the home of democracy and
liberty, the induction of our 18 and
10 year old men can no longer be
delayed"
The committee said it was I'm
pressed by the strong testimony of
our military leaders that our Army,
If it is to be victorious one, must
utilize the special military qualifi-
cations of l8 and 19 year old men,"
Need for Youth Told.
Members of these age groups
are particularly fitted for military
training and combat the report
continued. Their response to lead
ership, their quick recovery from
fatigue, their ggressiveness, their
enthusiasm and their flair for SOL
diering' far exceed such qualities in
other age groups.
"The simple fact is that they
make better soldiers than persons
OF other age groups and that Amer
lea cannot win unless full use is
made of their military capabilities.
Our armed forces must have the
qualities that belong to youth"
The committee noted that In So
Wet Russia and Nazi Germany "the
young soldier provides the principal
element of elite forces, which are
chosen troops employed when key
position must be captured"
Comparing the strength of the
proposed American Army of $780,
600 men with that of Axis forces,
the committee said it was estimated
that German ground units include
100000 men, that Japan maintains
Somewhere between 10 and 80 divi-
sions of about $1,000 men each.' and
that Italy, Rumania and Hungary
and other Axis countries had about
160 divisions.
Victory Predicted.
THE committee was profoundly
impressed" the report said, "as a
result of the testimony of our high
est military leaders, that not only
the success of our armed forces de-
pends upon the employment of our
18 and 19 year old young men as
soldiers and sailors. but that our
very national existence is dependent
upon their use.
If America is to survive, if it is
to continue to be the home of de-
mocracy and liberty, the induction
of our 18 and 10 year old men can
no longer be delayed. We have
1Ousllt dilu WOH Oul previous wars
with the help of such men. With
their help we shall win this war"
Alluding to clause which would
authorize the deferment of high
school students until they had COM
pleted their academic year, if they
were called for induction during the
last half of that year, the committee
noted that the director of selective
service was opposed in principle" to
this deferment, but added that the
War Department had not interposed
any objections.
-. Debate Starts Thursday.
Reviewing the testimony of Mai,
Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, director of
selective service, the committee
noted that Gen. Hershey had said
the number of married men to be
inducted would be reduced by the
number of Is and 10 year olds who
were taken into the service.
Democratic Leader Barkley of
Kentucky said he and Republican
Leader McNary of Oregon had
agreed to postpone debate on the
legislation until Thursday to permit
absent Senators to return. The
House passed similar measure Sat-
urday.