Evening star., 1943-01-23
BY GOULD LINCOLN.


A showdown is due soon-a
final showdown-on whether the
Moral Re- Armament Group is to
be allowed to function in this
country or whether the floor is
to be pulled from under its feet
by induction into the armed serv-
ices of 48 to so of the organiza-
tionS key men.
1t is matter which should be
decided on its merits-not by
mudslinging.
The Oxford Group, headed by
DR., Frank Buchanan. is the Moral
Re- Armament outfit. If defer
ment Is granted from the mill
tary draft, it should be granted
for one reason only, provided the
men are physically fit, and that
is the work they are doing is es-
sential and helpful in winning
the war.
In brief, here is the situation.
Twenty eight of these men are
aliens, Englishmen and Scotsmen,
with one exception, a Dane. They
came to this country with DR..
Buchanan, originator of the Ok
ford Group, to carry on the work
which they had started in Eng
land, and where they had had
great success in bringing about
better relations between labor
and management. and between
individuals and in homes. The
rest are Americans.
Work in England.
Moral Re- Armament was a
phrase coined by Dr.. Buchanan to
describe the groups work after
the war had broken out-and
every one was arming for the war.
That the work of the group in
England toward building and
maintaining morale was great
when the Nazi blitz struck that
country has been attested many
times.
It's principal work here since we
began our national defense drive
and later, our war work, has been
to improve relations between
worker and employer and to
awaken both to the vital need of
eXerting all effort to improve de-
fenses and turn out the necessary
war materials.
That they have contributed in
a big way toward these ends is
the fat assertion of many labor
leaders and employers. I have
talked personally with these
leaders and that is what they
tell me- 1t is not for them to
demand deferment of any one,
and they have not, but they have
told selective service officials
what they think of the Moral Re-
Armament Group and its work.
The foreign group were regis
tered in New York and draft
boards there have been handling
their cases. Nine of them were
notified Thursday that they are
being retained in class IA, and
ordered to report for induction
February 5. Others already have
received notification of retention
in class IA and are due to be
inducted soon.
The appeals board In New
York has sustained the decision
of the draft board handling the
cases. The only recourse of the
men. if they are to remain to
carry on their present work, is
through review by the presiden-
tlal board, here in Washington.
Denied in England.
The question has been raised,
Why should these men be grant
ed draft deferment in the United
States when such deferment has
not been granted to members of
the group in England?'
When the Minister of Labor
told the House of Commons that
he had decided against such de-
ferment, a resolution was pend
ing, supported by signatures of
TIA members. Had it been
pressed at the time, the sSser-
ton is that it would have car
ried. which would have meant a
defeat for the government. Be-
cause Of that fact, it was not
pressed, That was the decision
Of the supporters Of the group.
But only a dav or two apn Rear