Evening star., 1944-01-13
National Service Law
Opposed by Truman
As Unnecessary Now
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt's request
for legislation to draft civilian
labor for the home front ran
into new and unexpected opposi-
ton today from Chairman Tru-
man of the Senate's War Investi-
eating Committee, for years an
administration booster.
At the same time, Chairman
Reynolds of the Senate Military
Affairs Committee expressed doubt
that a national service bill reoffered
by Senator Austin, Republican, of
Vermont could survive committee
opposition.
Senator Reynolds said the COM
mittee is considering the Austin bill
''in the absence of specific admin
istration legislation"
'I'll be surprised if the committee
approves it," he added.
Senator Truman, whose commit
tee has investigated practically
every phase of the war effort, said
he would oppose civilian labor
draft unless something very con-
vincing can be presented to show
there is need for it,"
Sees Probe Diminishing.
"As a matter of fact" he told a
reporter, we're at the peak of the
manpower problem now and we can
expect 1t to ease before long"
His committee once charged labor
boarding in some war industries.
In a New York speech Tuesday,
Senator Truman predicted that the
critical need for war industry man
power would pass before the end of
this year.
Senate Majority Leader Barkley
said he had heard nothing about
the likelihood that a White House
bill, repeatedly drafted by Chair
man Paul v. McNutt of the War
Manpower Commission, would be
presented to follow up the Presi-
dents recommendation.
Two top labor leaders, William
Green of the AFL and Philip Muir
ray of the CIO, emerged from a
conference with Mr.. Roosevelt yes
terday with nothing to say" They
previously had issued scorching
statements against the proposal,
and those statements still stand,
they said.
Refuses Discussion.
Mr. Green said he guessed the
White House talk was of the rec
ord He said he and Mr.. Murray
had had a very nice talk" with
the President about a number of
matters, but that he had nothing
to say about the subjects.
To direct inquiry whether 1t
were safe to assume that the Presi-
dents proposal for national service
was mentioned, Mr.. Green smiled
and replied, well, we couldn't very
we'll talk about a number of sub
jects without that as we'll"
To question whether the Chief
Executive had been advised that
their statement assailing national
service still stood, Mr.. Murray re-
sponded that he believed Mr..
Roosevelt had read about it in the
newspapers.
Hearings Postponed.
The Military Affairs Committee
showed no disposition to hurry on
the Austin bill, which would require
men and women civilians to register
for possible labor conscription. It
postponed further hearing until
next week and Senator Reynolds
said several weekly meetings would
be held before any action is taken.
On the House floor yesterday a
Republican and a Democrat joined
in accusing the President Of creating
a "Frankenstein" by his treatment
Of labor, but disagreed on whether
national service legislation is nee
essary to control it.
Representative Clifford, Repub-
lican, of Massachusetts, first made
the charge in a bitter denunciation
of the proposal.
Representative Cox, Democrat, of
Georgia interposed: This action
national service legislationD should
have been taken a long time ago
The coddling of racketeers in labor
now has built a Frankenstein that
has frightened the President and
the country out of their boots"
Mr.. Cox said he could understand
fears that the President might use
the power of national service legis-
lation Ito further change our plan
Of government" but he asked, "Are
we not compelled to take the risk?"