Evening star., 1945-02-12
Senators Reported
Drafting Compromise
On Work Measure
Byrnes' Office Renews
Appeal for National
Service Legislation

The Once OF War MODlllZa ton
renewed its appeal today for ma
tional service legislation as a
compromise manpower control
plan was reported under prepa-
ration in the Senate.
An OWN statement released by
Jonathan Daniels, an administrative
assistant to President Roosevelt,
said:
The Office of War Mobilization
and Reconversion has advised me
that an article in the New York
Herald Tribune today indicating
that the Voorhis bill is acceptable
to it as substitute for the May bill
is without foundation in fact.
The director holds firmly to the
belief that manpower legislation
should recognize that there is an
obligation for men eligible for the
draft who are not called into the
armed service to render their wal
service wherever it is most needed.
Views Expressed Previously.
The views of this Office have
been expressed in its report on the
May bill to Senator Thomas, chair
man of the Senate Military Affairs
Committee
The Voorhis bill would give stat
utory standing to manpower ceiling
directives of the War Manpowe-:'
Commission. Defeated in the House
before passage of the May bill, its
objectives are similar to those of
the Senate compromise plan.
Advocates of the Senate plan
aren't talking for publication until
they get the details worked out
But they think it may attract
enough votes in the Senate Mill
tary Affairs Committee to displace
the work Jail bill for which the
White House. generals and admirals
have asked. That measure passed
the House after hot debate. 1t has
made no perceptible progress in the
Senate committee which has been
contemplating it two full weeks.
Direction Needed, Mead Says.
The compromise measure prob
ably would give the War Manpower
Commission authority to set en-
ployment ceilings in individual
plants and call for placement of
workers only by referral of a suit
able Government agency.
Senator Mead, Democrat. of New
York, told reporters that any bill
finally agreed on ought to provide
for thorough surveys to determine
how manpower is being utilized in
individual plants.
I'VE need direction more than
compulsion, he said.
Senator Maybank. Democrat, of
South Carolina, said he still be-
lieves the committee eventually will
report the House bill, with several
drastic amendments.
| One of those amendments would
allow Mr.. Byrnes, or any agency he
might designate, TO determine where
the men would work.
! Local draft boards would choose
| the men from registrants between 1S
and As. The House voted to give
Selective Service the power to say
not only who should work, but
where they should work.
Hearings to Resume Tomorrow.
| The committee resumes it's closed
hearings tomorrow. Farm organ
ization leaders have been invited
to express their views.
Meanwhile, Senator Wiley, Re-
publican. of Wisconsin charged
draft boards are catching the ad-
ministration's epidemic" of "brazen-
ly violating" the Nations laws.
Draft boards have been recklessly
herding farm youth between 18 ane
IS into the armed services" Senator
Wiley said in statement. Many
farmers have already abandoned
their enterprises"
He said he had received the fol.
lowing letter from Wisconsin con.
stituent:
Il saw member of the draf
board yesterday and asked him i
he was going by the Tyding
amendment regarding the draftin,
of farmers. He said, mo, the Law
didn't mean anything. 1t will 500,
drift out. They are changing it al
the time"
AT time when our young mer
are dying supposedly in the name o
a Government by law and not b,
men. what will their loved ones thinl
when our law here at home il
shamelessly ignored?" Senator Vile!
asked.