Evening star., 1945-03-06
Nurse Draft Measure
Heads Toward Final
House Vote Today
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

BY CARTER BROOKE JONES. !
Little opposition to the general
principles Of the nurse draft bill
had been brought out In several
hours Of House debate as the meas
ure was headed toward a final vote
some time today.
The House was ready to consider
after completing gen.
eral debate late yesterday.
Members had prepared numerous
amendments, with attacks on the
present form of the bill apparently
cenuered on its requirement that
graduates of the Cadet Nurse Corps
be drafted ahead of all other quail
if1ed nurses, and its failure to re-
quire the armed services to COM
mission nurse selectees.
May Stresses Urgent Need.
Bringing the legislation before the
House under special rule limiting
general debate to two hours and
opening the bill to pertinent amend
ments, Chairman Cox of the Rules
Committee and the author Of the
measure, Chairman May of the Mil
itary Affairs Committee, stressed
the urgent need of the Army for
5000 nurses.
Mr.. May, whose committee con-
sidered the legislation and approved
it, told the House there were 52l,-
600 American wounded still lying
helpless in hospitals scattered over
the world. These did not include
recovered casualties. The wounded,
he said, were being returned to
this country at the rate of 1000 .
day for further disqualification.
Not since have been a member
OF this House." he said, have I
brought in or seen presented a bill
I thought so urgent. Our men have
got to have care"
Representative Martin, Repub-
lcan, of Ohio said he had always
been rejudiced against any pro-
posal to draft women for any pur-
pose, but he was supporting this bill
because he felt it was necessary.
Elston Attacks Bills Form.
Representative Elston, Republican,
of Ohio explained that he had op-
posed the measure before the Mill
tary Affairs Committee because he
felt better bill could be drawn,
but he was ready to vote for what
ever form of legislation the House
finally drafted, because he knew
the necessity for the nurses. He
attacked the present bill for Civ
ing the War Manpower Commits
sion's Procurement and Assignment
Service what he called supreme au-
thority in deferring nurses from
military duty.
Il ask that they have the same
right of appeal that drafted men
have" he said, adding that he
would offer such an amendment.
Maybe" said Representative
Sparkman, Democrat, of Alabama,
I'VE could get the nurses voluntarily
by next January. But the Army
needs them by July at the latest"
1--WE cannot" said Representative
Harness, Republican, of Ohio, "ask
the wounded men lying in hospitals
to wait six months for a nurse. Be-
cause this measure will assure the
orderly procurement of the nurses
required, and because it provides
that compulsion shall not be i'm
posed unless and until voluntary
recruitment fails to meet require
ments, shall support this measure"
Sees Terrible Necessity.
Representative Thomson. Demo-
crat, of Texas, ranking majority
member of the Military Affairs
Committee, said: Nobody likes to
see this legislation, and nobody in the
House would vote to draft any wom-
an unless absolutely necessary. But
we are faced with a terrible neces-
sity"
Representative Bolton. Republi-
can, of Ohio. author of the act set
ting up the Cadet Nurse Corps, said
that, despite the grave question in
volved and the short time allotted
to debate it, she would not stand in
the way of the legislation.
Il shall vote for the BILL" she said,
but with the hope that it will never
will be needed-with the hope that
the great national campaign just
getting under way will bring in
enough volunteers"
AS it came from the committee
the bill would make eligible for in
duction all qualified unmarried
nurses over 10 and under IS who
were not classified by VINO as en-
gagged in essential civilian work.
Draft boards would be required to
take cadet nurses first.
Half Of the total resources of the
United States are now being devoted
to waging war. Since Pearl Harbor
expenditures have amounted to
about $20S, 200, ,000,0 900. More War
l.