Evening star., 1946-04-21
Austin Urges Senate
To Take Up Extension
Of Draft Wednesday
By J. A. Oueory

Senator Austin of Vermont
ranking Republican on the Mill
tary Affairs Committee, called
on the Senate yesterday to take
up the controversial draft extern
sion bill not later than Wednes-
day, In view of the fact the Sc
!ectlve service law expires May Is
Majority Leader Barkley indicat-
ed, however, he expects to keep the
s3,750,000,0oo British loan agree
ment before the Senate in the hope
OF passing it by the end of the
week.
Senator Austin is in favor of the
British loan, and his suggestion that
draft extension be given an early
right-of-Way is based solely on the
time element and the possibility that
there may be some delay in settling
differences between the two houses
over draft law restrictions.
Republican Opposition Shown.
Even if the British loan could be
disposed of this week, it would bring
the draft issue before the Senate on
April %, leaving little more than
two weeks to get it through the
Senate, through a conference COM
mlttee and back to both Houses
for ratification of the final agree
ment.
New indications OF a rocky road
for the British loan arose yesterday
with disclosure of a secret Republi-
can poll showing an opposition ma
jority Of % to 16 among that partys
members in the Senate.
Previous Republican tallies had
indicated practically an even divi-
sion. Authors of the new count
would not permit use of their names.
With many members reluctant to
commit themselves publicly one way
or the other, an Associated Press
poll currently shows 30 Senators for
the enabling legislation, % against
1t, The count includes members of
both parties.
Much Debate on Draft.
There is bound to be considerable
debate whenever the draft is taken
up, in view of the issues the House
has raised by exempting the teen
age groups and voting to prohibit
lnductions between May Is and Oc-
tober IS, to see how the volunteer
system works with a pay increase.
One influential Democrat made
the point yesterday that mere ex-
piration of the Selective Service
Act on May IS would not prevent
Congress from re-enacting it a
week or two later. Supporters of
the act fear, however, that allowing
1t to lapse would encourage the op-
position to fight harder, at least for
restrictive amendments, if not to
leave 1t dead
In urging early consideration of
the draft, Senator Austin said:
MY estimate is we ought to be at
work on the draft on the Senate
floor by Thursday or Friday. This is
because there should be enough dis
cussion before voting so that the
public may thoroughly understand
the imminent necessity for extern
sion to carry out our commitments
and to establish the position we
must occupy if we are to discharge
our duty in international rela-
tions."
An advance indication that House
sentiment for draft restrictions is
gaining some support in the Senate
came yesterday in the statement of
Senator Mcclellan, Democrat, of
Arkansas, that he will support the
House provision exempting the 1S
and 10 year age groups.
Senator Mcclellan said he can
see no reason why older men who
were given essential occupational
deferments during the war should
not be called on now to give some
service" He suggested also that
men who were put in At for physi-
cal reasons during the war could
serve now for guard duty.