Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-02-28

WIN Ill AfA All lAANlNA = WV -
demand for a civilian draft
bill his floor leader Barley
had not emitted word of APP
proval, His leaders on the
House side went further and as
sured newSmen. off the record
the bin would not be passed,
Indeed. the prevailing con-U
grcSSional suspicion seems 20 he1
that the President had possibly
entered upon promotion of the
bill Tin his message, at leaSD
10 remove the curse from his
record on the strike situation
in any event the Bih.Will not
be even seriously considered
unless some manpoWer or strike
-emergehes--ariSes, which the
leaders obviously do not expect.
The printed reaction ont in
the country was somewhat
amazing. Endorsements came
from conservative commcnta-
tors largely but also from the
Bridges CommuniSt-controIIcd
LongShoremens union on the
Pacific Coast. When YOU get
Communists and conservatives
together, YOU may be sure some
one IS being fooled.
THE reaction of the man in
Il the street, as / get il con-
verSationally. was likewise sur
priSingly approving. People gen.
orally hate strikes and SYM
pathize with the unequal posi-
tions of the soldier with the
war worker. They are irrclut-
ably right in these positions,
But, in their righteous wrath,
they are apt 10 be misled into
eSpousing a remedy far more
unjust than the injustices they
want to cure. Few Of them
have studied the bill (AuStin's
revised proposal, Jan. 10l and
understand what il would do to
them and the country Con-
greSS knows.
To me il seems as uHjustified
as using an AK to eliminate a
flyspeck on glass, and in this
case. the glass is the final con-
tainer of individual human
rights, Individual liberty all
that we are fighting for and in
Guiding our way of life in
favor of male and female en-
Slavemcnt to the state for war
reasons that are not apparent
10 all-inCluding Congress.
=. Theoretically, il would praC-
tically declare national martial
..law on all the people 10 make a
few work and this IS nation
whose production work. is al
ready so good that Mr. Roose-
welt Justly brags it is the best
in the world
YOU can see this clearly by a
Il detailed study of the bill
empowering the President, by
proclamation, TO move any one
anywhere away from his home
into any other job at any rate
of pay chat is, any one except
federal state, county and local
officials, including bureauCrats
who are exempt along with
pregnant mothers and those
with minor children, and the
other established military eX-
enpteeS, although l do not see
Clergymen exempt.
One phrase promises eXemp-
ton to those necessary 10 the
maintenance of national health,
safety and interest, and an
other warns the boards against
being unfair, arbitrary or Caus-
ing personal hardshipS." But
obviously the door is left wide
open for local boards 10 differ
in their interpretations and 10
enter new fields of politics,
graft and corruption.
Appeals could be taken TO the
national draft director and to
the courts, but only after the
deed is done, and we all know
what crowded places those are
now for timely justice. Incl
dentally, no provision is made
for the drafted civilian 10 vote
away from home, a rather
pertinent matter this year,
The urge for this thing is the
injustice of drafting the soldier.
Not even there do the pro-
ponents purpose justice IN lieu
thereof A drafted soldier has
his whole life provided by the
federal government and all are
treated alike as TO pay and Spe-
Cial privileges, including inSur-
ance, allowance for dependents,
medical care. etc.
NOTHING comparable is
~ promise the civilian
drattee. lie can he uprOOted
from his home, sent across the
country 10 work in a field at
halfrthe salary or lcSS-and all
the government would give. him
is transportation and polite
invitation 10 the draft boards 10
consider housing conditions in
the area TO which he is sent. II
would only equalize present in
justices by creating more
In short its theory Is 10 alb
sorh tho hum an being COM
pletely into state totalltarian-
ism Mr. Roosevelt's pen slipped
badly when he wrote Congress:
National service IL the most