Evening star., 1943-03-05

circumscribed by red tape" that it
has not accomplished the desired
result.
Boards Are Criticized.
The draft boards throughout the
country did not administer it with
understanding, sympathy and uni
formity and many farmers who
were entitled to deferment were
given little or no consideration" "
the majority report added
In substitution for the blanket de-
| ferment bill. the minority proposed
an amendment clarifying the So
called TVdings amendment to re-
| quire local boards to defer workers
| found to be essential to farm pro-
! duction.
Under the amendment, a worker
would be subject to deferment if
| engaged substantially full time in
| the production of commodities Ger
| tilted by the Secretary of Agricul-
/ ture as essential to the war effort
and if the individuals production
OF on essential commodity meets
Mr.. Wickard's standards.
! The Austin -Wadsworth national
Service bill approaches the manpow-
/ er problem in its broadest aspects by
empowering the Government to as
/ sign men between l8 and 65. or Wom-
en- between 18 and so, wherever they
may be needed, whenever a call for
volunteers on the home front falls
short of the goal.
1 Advocates of the bill insisted yes
/ terday that compulsory assignment
through draft boards would be
| necessary in comparatively few
cases, They base this prediction on
belief that. once Congress defines
the obligation of all citizens, the
preliminary calls for volunteers
I would be answered in most cases.
/ Among the witnesses for the bill
/ yesterday afternoon were Charles E
Hughes, jr., son of the former Chief
Justice of the United States; the
Rev. Walter E. Cole, pastor of the
Second Church OF Boston, and Mrs
tive Smith of Wisconsin. who spoke
for the American Legion Auxiliary
The committee aIso heard group
Of women from Cincinnati and one
from Kentucky. against the bill
They were: Mrs. Lucinda E. Benge
Miss Laura Bernlce Benge, Mrs
Anna May Luken, Mrs. Josephine
MolN ii A,n@
Amendments to make sure the
national service program would be
administered without discrimination
because of race, color Or creed were
urged by Edgar G. Brown, speaking
for the National Negro Council.
MIS-. Benge, q member of tht
Mothers OF Sons Forum of Cincln
natl, argued the bill would place il
the hands of one man the lives o.
, all men and women within the des
/ lgnated age limits.
Mr. Hughes told the committee j
, would be ''unthinkable to cut tn.
5 Army below the strength deemcc
: necessary by military experts, rathe
! than to mobilize the manpowe
/ needed on the home front to suppl,
= the required armed force for victory
: He said opponents of the bill seeI
= to draw distinction between draft
= ing men for military service an,
: assigning them to war work. The
! argue, he said, that in the militar
S draft the Government becomes tn
mans boss. while under a nationa
t service draft, private employer be
comes the mans boss.
! Denies Slavery" Contention.
, Answering the argument that thi
t is slavery. Mr. Hughes declared tn
! distinction is only theoretical, with
: out any reali"tic basis He pointe,
out that the bill protects the wag
2 and hour standards OF existing La
: in the assignment Of men to wa
f work
} DR.. Cole, the Boston clergyman