Evening star., 1943-03-02
SENATOR'S VOTE FARM DEFERMENT 9 TO 7
Committee Puts
Off Workers
Call 10 Dec. 81
Hearings Recessed
On Other Phases
Of Monpower Bill

The Senate Military Affairs
Committee late today adopted,
9 to 7. bill that would defer all
farm workers from military
service until December 81.
That action came shortly after
the committee recessed until Thurs
day hearings on the Austin -Wads-
worth national service bill The
farm deferment deals with only one
phase Of the manpower problem,
while the national service bill SEEK
to provide orderly assignment @
men and women to all essential in
dustries on the home front.
The vote on farm deferment
follows:
For-Senators Thomas of Utah,
johnson Of Colorado, Hill of Ala
bama, Downey of California, Wall
gren of Washington. Murray Of
Montana, all Democrats, and Hol-
man of Oregon, Revercomb OF West
Virginia and Wilson of Iowa, Re-
publicans.
Against Chairman Reynolds Of
North Carolina and Senators Tru-
man Of Missouri, OMahoney of
Wyoming, Democrats; Austin Of
Vermont, Bridges of New Hampshire,
Gurney Of South Dakota and Lodge
Of Massachusetts,, Republicans.
Opposed by Army.
The War Department and Selec-
fiuo QApV}na nsypaAas II -
bill. Senator Bankhead, Democrat
Eof Alabama, offered It, in order, he
said, to assure adequate manpower
for the farms and to avoid q food
shortage.
The minority instructed Senator
OMahoney to draft substitute to
be offered on the Senate floor which
will attempt to define the crops that
are deemed essential to the war
effort instead OF allowing blanket
deferment to al farm hands,
Senator O'Mahoney described the
majority bill As form Of "involun-
tary servitude" beca,lse 1t prohibits
the farm worker from leaytne his
present occupaticn uf1leag his daft
board certifles he Is goAng 70 another
essential industry.
The measure was modified BY
adoption Of an amendment BY SEN
ator Holman making such defer
merts possible only until Decem-
Der 81.
I Senator Holman said his change
was approved to make the le1isla-
ton only q stop-gap affair until
more permanent legislation could be
studied.
Needed Now, Says Burke.
Earlier former Senator Edward
Burke of Nebraska told the commit
tee the United States needs ma
ttonal service law for the orderly
assignment Of manpower on the
home front now, Just as 1t needed
the military Selective Service law
In 1910.
He testified in support Of the Aus
tin Wadsworth bill.
NO man ought to oppose some
sort Of national service law at this
time. unless he knows beyond q per-
adventure Of doubt that the war will
be over before next January" Mr..
Burke said Il think we can strug-
gle along as we are for the rest Of
this year, but since no one can be
certain the war will end in 1943, I
think legislation should be passed"
Mr.. Burke, who helped write the
present Selective Service Act, said
its purpose was to select men for
military service, and protested
against any attempt to use it as an
indirect means of solving the civil
ian manpower problem.
Points to Britain.
A highlight of the afternoon ses-
sion was the statement of Repre-
sentative Wadsworth, Republican. Of
New York that Great Britain, with
a national manpower law, Is produc-
ing more Of It's own food supply in
the midst of this war than it did In
peacetime
Before the war" he said, Eng
land got 60 per cent of its food
supply from outside. Since 1899 1t
has added 6,0OO,OOO acres to crop
production, and instead of getting
so per cent Of its food from outside.
Great Britain now is producing 60
per cent of its needs. In other
(See MANPOWER, Page 2-XJ