Evening star., 1944-01-12
|CongressSp|it
On Enactment
0fLabor Draft
House Committee to
Study Presidents
Request Tuesday
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt's request
for enactment of national service
legislation - under which the
services of men from ID to 65
and women from 10 to so, with
certain exceptions, would be sub
ject to Government call-split
Congress wide apart today and
foreshadowed one of the most
bitter fights OF this election year.
A cross-section of sentiment in
Senate and House indicated it would
be touch-and-go whether the Chief
Executives request would be granted
or denied, with the opposition SEEM
ingly having the edge at present.
The reaction ranged from charge
by Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of
Montana that the Presidents pro-
posal was "a very definite, If not
final, step toward Fascism," to the
contention of Representative Wads-
worth, Republican, of New York
that it was "the democratic thing
to do"
Murray Calls 1t "Quack Medicine"
Labor leaders renewed their oppo-
sition. Philip Murray, president Of
the Congress of Industrial Organiza-
tions, denounced national service
legislation as "quack medicine" for
what he termed the failures of legis-
lative and executive agencies, and
r. j. Thomas, president of the CIO
United Automobile Workers, de-
clared it "smacks of slave labor"
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor,
added his voice to labor's declared
opposition to the proposed legisla-
tion. He asserted it would under
mine our basic concepts of democ-
racy" and would not prevent strikes
or solve manpower problems.
There is no real comparison"
Mr.. Green's statement said, be
tween drafting men for service in
the armed forces of the country and
drafting them for service in private
industry operating for private profit.
AS emient an authority as Mr.. Ber-
nard Baruch has publicly warned
against this"
Cites Britain's Experience.
Mr.. Green said Great Britain's
experience with a national service
law demonstrated that it would not
stop strikes. In 1912, he said, the
number of strikes in Britain was
greater proportionately than in the
United States"
Mr.. Green added that I'VE are all
agreed that strikes should not occur
during the war emergency" and
said that since the Pearl Harbor
attack he had not ordered, ap-
proved or condoned one strike. !.
: Norman Thomas, Socialist party
Header and several times candidate
for President, criticized the proposal
as step towards Fascism or
totalitarianism."
There is no excuse when the
Iproblem of production is so nearly
solved. ''' To pass such a law now
in the present setting will be far
more significant step towards
Fascism or totalitarianism than some
OF the acts or proposals of that
'rightist reaction which the Presi-
dent justly condemns" the Socialist
leader said.
| Many Non-committaI.
Many members of Congress steered
clear of committing themselves and
took the attitude that enactment of
worker draft law should be con-
tingent, as the President suggested,
on passage of legislation to hold
down living costs, revamp the tax
system and curb profits. Many were
inclined to feel that the service
legislation should follow the others,
not precede it.
| Chairman May called a meeting
of the House Military Affairs Com
mittee for next Tuesday to consider
the Presidents request. Mr.. Mays
committee held extensive hearings
last year on a national service bill
introduced by Mr.. Wadsworth and
Senator Austin, Republican, of Yer
mont, but took no action on it.
Three courses confront the COM
mittee, Mr.. May explained: To re-
open the hearings, to write a bill
without further hearings, or to
shelve the entire subject, at least
for the present.
AS for himself, Mr. May said he
was never "hot" for national service
legislation, but felt that in view of
the Presidents message the COM
mittee and Congress should take
some action. Sentiment of other
members was sharply divided
i Chairman Reynolds of the Senate
Military Affairs Committee left no
doubt about his position. He as
sailed national service legislation as
| (See ROOSEVELT, Page A-3)