Evening star., 1943-03-03
BY J. A. OLEARY,

from the draft for the remainder
OF this year may open up Senate
debate within few days on the
whole manpower problem after
weeks Of mulling over the question
in several committees.
The Military Affairs Committee
vote in favor of the broad defer
ment of every registrant producing
or harvesting any agricultural COM
modify was 9 to 7, and the minor
lty members were at work today on
substitute that will attempt to
define and list the crops and prod
uctS deemed essential to the war
effort.
Sponsors of the legislation, today
counted 43 Senators-6 less than a
clear majority
1t looks like we might have
enough to pass it," said Senator
Bankhead, Democrat. of Alabama
Meanwhile the Military Affairs
Committee will resume hearings to-
morrow morning on the Austin
Wadsworth national war service bill
The farm deferment proposals deal
with only one phase of the man.
power problem, whereas the ma
tlOnal service measure seeks to
provide for the orderly assignment
OF workers to all essential industries
on the home front.
OMahoney Draft Substitute.
Senator OMahoney, Democrat. of
Wyoming, who is drafting the
minority substitute for farm defer
ments, called the majority measure
a form OF involuntary servitude"
because it prohibits farm workers
from leaving that occupation unless
their draft boards certify it is to
the best interests of the war effort
for them to take other work or
enter military service.
The text of the bill which won
by two-vote margin yesterday
follows:
Until January /. 1914, every
reglstrant who is regularly engaged
In an agricultural occupation or
endeavor on farm or whose prin-
ment on farm III connection with
the production or harvesting of any
agricultural commodity shall, while
ne continues to be so engaged or
employed, be deferred from training
and service under this act in the
land and naval forces of the United
states; and until January |, 1914
no such registrant shall leave such
occupation or endeavor or cease to
oe employed IN connection with such
production or harvesting unless,
prior thereto, he requests his selec-
tive service local board to determine
and such local board. subject to
appeal in accordance with section
"a, '2>, determines, that it is in the
pest interests of the war effort for
MIN TO engage in some other occ,lpa
tlon or endeavor to be EMPLOYED in
some other work or to become a
member Of such land or naval forces
provided, that each man who Is
deferred pursuant to this sub-sec-
ton shall receive from his selectiye
service local board at the time OF
Such deferment a certificate STATING
that such deferment has been found
oy Such board to be in the best
interests of the war effort,
Present Deferment Limited
Local draft boards have authority
now TO defer farm workers. under
the Tydings amendment of last wear
but existing regulations base the
action on the size of the crop or
herd on the farm.
Ine committee divided as follows
For the broad deferment-Sena-
tors Thomas of Utah, johnson ot
colorado, Hill of Alabama Downey
OF California, Wallgren of Wash
lngton, Murray of Montana, Demo-
Gratis, and Holman of Oregon, Rever-
comb OF West Virginia and Wilson
OF Iowa, Republicans.
Agalnst-Chairman REYNOLDS and
Senators Truman of Missouri
O'Mahoney, Democrats, and Austin
OF Vermont, Bridges of New Hamp-
shire. Quincy of South Dakota and
Lodge of Massachusetts, Repub-
licans.
The bill finally reported was origi-
nally offered by Senator Bankhead
Democrat, of Alabama, but revised
by Senators Wilson and Holman
Supporters described it as a stop
gap measure until the manpower
problem can be dealt with more
comprehensively.
Optimistic over the chances OF
substituting less sweeping pro-
posal, Senator OMahoney expressed
the belief that If the minority had
had time before the vote to draw
up the list of essential farm COM
modities it would have been adopted
yesterday.
National Service Law Needed.
Discussing the manpower problem
IN its broader aspects, former Sena-
tor Burke of Nebraska, who helped
write the military draft law in 1910
| told the committee yesterday this
country needs national service law
now as badly as it needed military
seiective service then.
No man should oppose such a
| law now, he declared. unless he feels
beyond doubt the war will be over
in l943.
Il think We can struggle along
as we are for the rest of this wear