Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-11
Senate Rejects
.0'MahoneyP|an
For Deferments
Bloc Backing Broad
Exemptions to Farmers
Wins First Test, 1872
(ROu Gu Page 2-XJJ
BY J. A. OLEARY.


Senate advocs ties of broad de-
ferment of farm workers won the
first round Of their fight this
afternoon when they beat the
OMahoney substitute, 40 to 80.
The substitute would have lin
tied deferment to those helping TO
raise certain products listed as
essential in SeleCJive service regula-
lions and in certain quantities to
be determined by a definite formula.
This preliminary roll call in
creased the likelihood of adoption
of the broader plan, sponsored by
Senators Johnson of Colorado and
Bankhead of Alabama, both Demo-
Gratis. This proposal, to be voted
on later, would use the same list
of essential products covered by
the O'Mahoney amendment, but
without a quantity standard. It
provides that any person devoting
substantially all Of his time to one
Of the essential crops shall be de-
ferred
Party lines were broken in the
vote on the O'Mahoney substitute.
Final Action Delayed.
Final action on deferment of farm
labor probably will be put off until
tomorrow, at which time Senator
Wheeler, Democrat, of Montana.
will seek a vote On his amendment
to exempt also married men with
children who were we'd prior to
December 8, 1941. The remainder
of this afternoon is expected to be
devoted to passing the lease lend
bill and a $4,000 100000 deficiency
appropriation bill,
Senator Austin, Republican, Of
Vermont, indicated that the COM
pulsory national service bill spon-
sored by himself and Representative
WadsWorth, Republican, of New
York, probably will be amended to
place the administration of the
measure in newly created Office
of Director of National Service, in
stead of delegating it to the War
Manpower Commission.
Launching the final hour of de-
bate, Senator Bankhead. Democrat,
of Alabama. author of the blanket
deferment of farmers, said the issue
is not whether farmers will have
enough to eat or make a profit, but
whether the armed forces, industrial
workers and home population will
be provided for. Price limitations
and the cost of labor are such that
the farmer can not make a profit,
but just break even, the ALBANIAN
declared
This will be the first major test
of sentiment in the new Congress
on the controversial problem of
manpoWer on the home front but
deals with only one segment leav-
ing out the question of how to OBJ
tain sufficient personnel for war in
dustries, lumber camps and min
eral mining
While the Senate Military Affairs
Committee took further testimony
today on the broad approach to the
question in the Austin-W adsworth
bill making possible the assignment
of men and women to all essential
jobs, Senator Pepper, Democrat, OF
Florida came forward with a SUBJ
stitute to Use Government wage
subsidies to attract workers volun-
tarily tor war jobs.
$500, 0O0, 900 Subsidy.
Senator Pepper, an ardent New
Dealer, will offer his plan on thu
floor this afternoon as an alterna-
tive for the deferment of farm work.
ers only, but since it involves a Fed
eral outlay of S3O0,000,000 it is not
likely to be adopted, as last
minute substitute.
The Pepper proposal would em-
power the War ManpoWer Com
mission. headed by Chairman Paul
V. MCNutt, to defer workers re-
earded as essential to civilian pro-
Guction. and also to recruit a Ma
tional Emergency Workers Corps
to go where labor shortages exist.
OF the total appropriation requested
for the plan, s200,0OO0 900 would be
to supplement employer payments
TO these workers, and S100, 100000
for equipment, housing, transporta-
ton and training.
After Mr. McNutt had left the
closed session of the War Investl-
eating Committee, Chairman Tru-
man announced that group would
start hearings next week which, he
hoped, would lead to solution OF
the problem. He said, however, the
witnesses would be employers and
that there was no present plan to
call Mr.. McNutt.