Evening star., 1942-10-17
House OK. Due Today
On 1een-Age Draft;
Senate Delay Likely
MeNory Will Insist
Upper Body Await
Absentees' Return
By the Associated Press.

os tAe hosOSldtcu TIeSS.
In a mixed atmosphere of re-
luctance and readiness to dip
into the 'teen-age bracket for
soldiers, the House assembled to-
day to act on drafting youths of
13 and 10 years for military serv-
ice. Passage of the measure by
nightfall apparently was assured.
Amid repeated expressions of re-
gret that President Roosevelt and
his war aides had found the step
necessary, there we're confident pre-
dictions from House leaders and
Chairman May of the Military At
fairs Committee that the bill would
pass overwhelmingly.
Meantime, the Senate-a step pe-
hind the House in the drive to
speed the legislation to the Chief
Executives desk-received from it's
Military Affairs Committee approval
of a bill differing only in minor
aspects from that in the House.
Plans of Senate leaders to bring
the measure up for a vote Tues
day met the objection of Minority
Leader McNary that many members
had returned to their States a week
ago after being assured by the
administration leadership that no
major legislation would be taken up
for several weeks.
While declaring himself heartily
in favor of the bill. Senator McNary
served notice that he would De
obliged to oppose any motion for
vote until the absentees have been
given an opportunity to return.
Thus, Senate action may be delayed
until late next week or the following
week.
In the House, the Rules Commit
tee ordered two hours of general
debate, but-unless it's stipulations
are overturned by majority vote
guarded the measure against the
possibility of a major amendment
by providing that floor amendments
could be offered only to the section
subjecting the 18 and 19-year-olds
to the draft.
Training Discussed.
Several House members had eX-
pressed intention to insist on in
clusion of a clause which would
bar use of 1S and 19-year- -olds for
combat duty until they had been
trained for at least IL months.
The House Military Affairs Com
mittee considered a similar condi-
ton, but failed to include it in the
measure at the specific request of
Army officials.
However, Representative Izac,
Democrat, of California, cautioned
that If we can't win the war with
out recourse to drafting our 18-
year-olds, then the least we should
do is to prevent their being sent
into combat until one full year of
training has been given them"
Representative Fish, Republican,
Of New York, like Mr.. Izac, a vet
eran Of the World War, asserted:
Don't fool the public. They put
these boys in the front lines with
out training in the last war, and
they will do it again."
Senate Measure Differs.
The Senate measure includes a
provision that students at a high
school or similar educational insti-
tuition, if ordered to report for in
duction during the second half of
their school year, shall on request
receive deferment until the academic
year is ended.
The House bill. by contrast, would
grant students at high schools, col
leges and universities opportunity
to request deferment, whenever
called, until the end of the present
academic year, but after July l,
1943, no education deferments could
be granted.
Over that clause arose another
controversy, with several House
members maintaining that the edu-
cational deferment until the end of
the academic year should be made
mandatory to protect those taking
advantage Of the opportunity from
being being subjected to charges of
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