Evening star., 1943-06-23
May Demands Plans
For Fathers Draft
Call Be Revealed
Military Unit Choirmon
Joins Wheeled in PIeu
To End Confusion
BY he Associated Press.

bF me ASSOCldleQ freSS.
A demand that selective serv-
ice officials LAY the cards on the
table" with respect to plans for
drafting fathers was voiced to-
day by Chairman May of the
House Military Affairs Commit
tee.
The Nations fathers are in state
of uncertainty about their draft
status" Mr.. May declared They
pick up the paper one day and read
where some official in Washington
says they will be drafted in three
months, and later on another official
comes out and says We may not
take fathers until next year, OF
maybe not at all.
1t seems to me that the fathers
should be relieved of the uncer-
tainty they are naturally placed in.
If we are going to take them, let's
tell them so and let them get their
affairs in shape. If we are not 60
ing to take them, or won't need
them for some time, we ought to
tell them that, too"
Others Back Demand.
Other committee members joined
with Mr.. May in asserting they had
been unable to learn anything def
mite about plans for drafting men
with children and said they believed
the situation should be cleared up.
They will seek enlightenment, Mr..
May said. from Manpower Commits
sioner Paul V. McNutt and Selec-
tive Service Director Lewis B. Her
shey. Whether the information
they obtain will be made public in
detail, however, Mr.. May could not
say
A similar call for an "end to the
confusion" was expressed by Sen
ator Wheeler Democrat, of Montana
yesterday as he renewed a drive for
consideration of his bill to bar the
induction of pre-Pearl Harbor faith
ers before January l.
There is not man in the United
States between 18 and As years of
age" Senator Wheeler said. who
can tell from day to day where he
stands"
The Montanan told the Senate
that officials now say armed man.
power requirements for this year
have been cut below the projected
10,824 900, but "tomorrow-no doubt
they will change their minds again.
He did not give the Senate figure
on the draft cut he said had been
ordered.
Senator Wheeler said he was glad
to learn that the calling of fathers
had been postponed until October
but there have been so many con-
fusing statements on the subject NO
one can depend upon it.
Senator Wheeler complained that
the Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee had refused to report out his
measure. The Senate, he argued
Ought definitely to say whether
under the circumstances we need tc
take these men" and mot depend
upon the whims of these bureau
Gratis who say one thing today and
another the next"
Saying a food shortage is ap-
preaching. Senator Wheeler asserted
military men alone are not quail
fed to be sole judges of how large
an army the Nation should have"
Warns of Hollow Victory.
when we talk about the size OF
the Army, it isn't question of how
many men we can get. but rather
how many men can we afford to put
in the Army without seriously dis
rupting our supply lines. defense
plants and essential civilian activities
at home" he declared.
Our primary contribution to the
Allies should be in the form of food
supplies and munitions of war.
1--WE are preparing to draft toe
many men into the armed services
1t is clear that this program Of
giving no consideration to the
marital status of men-of making
every man number in order to fill
quotas the fault of the selective
service law and should be corrected
1T would be p hollow victory
indeed-if in order to wage tota.
war-we destroy that which these
foreign ideologies have deliberately
destroyed-the home and family
life"