Evening star., 1946-12-31
Action Due Later
On States of War
And Emergency
(Tert OF Presidents Statement and
Proclamation on Page A-10.)
BY Joseph A. Fox

President Truman proclaimed
the end of hostilities of World
War II at noon today, thereby
wiping out Immediately 18 war
time statutes and limiting the
life of 33 others.
The presidential proclamation did
not terminate the state of war
itself nor the states of emergency
declared by President Roosevelt on
September 8, 1899, and May n,
1941. Action on these will await
further recommendations to Con-
gress by the President, and then
their fate will be up to Senate and
House.
The President said in a state
ment that his recommendations
would go forward to Capitol Hill
"in the near future"
Seizure Powers Voided.
The seizure provisions of the
Smith Connally Act under which
the Government took over and
operated strikebound war agencies
were voided Immediately under the
presidential proclamation, but 1t
does not affect operation of in
dustries presently held, notably the
soft coal mines, which can remain
under Government control as much
as six months longer.
The presidential proclamation
terminated the crop-support pro-
gram as of December 81, 1948. There
is a two-year life provision in that
act which would have extended it
to December 81, 1949, had the Pres
ident's proclamation been deferred
until the new year.
Some Powers Unaffected.
Mr.. Truman's action does not af-
feet many other war powers.
There are more than 500 emer-
gency laws. Some say they are to
end with the lend of the war" or
within some specified time there
after. Others say they are effective
for the duration of the emergency"
Thus, the period of hostilities"
as used by Mr.. Truman is largely
a technical matter turning on Ian
guage used in each statute. He took
recognition of this by saying he was
not proclaiming the war ended or
the officially declared emergency
over.
Consequently, the laws based on
the duration of the emergency" or
the war" are not affected.
Draft Law Unaffected.
The basic Selective Service Act
originally was hitched to the termi-
nation of hostilities but when it was
extended last June, Congress speci-
fled provisions for drafting men
would continue until March 81, 1947,
or such earlier date as Congress
might specify in concurrent reso-
luton of both houses.
Selective Service officials said
they were still studying the effect
of today's action to see if inductions
are affected but they were fairly
certain" drafting could continue be-
cause of the wording of the Draft
Extension Act.
But many statutes affecting the
Army and Navy are affected one is
a law which exempted the War and
Navy Departments from general re-
strictions on the number of civilian
employees they may have.
There were indications at the
Pentagon that the War Department
was somewhat surprised at the sud-
den announcement.
Army Offic ials Confer.
It touched off series of top level
conferences at the Army headquar-
tiers to see how much of the huge
machinery under which the Army
operated for more than five years
would need resetting for peacetime
operation. Pending results from
these first meetings, Army officials
withheld comment.
The Navy hastened to note that
in its opinion the service of naval
reserve officers would not be af-
fected. Reserve officers were on duty
for the duration of the emergency
plus six months.
The President told questioner
during the session at which he made
public the proclamation that the
combined chiefs of staff, set up
during the wartime to direct the
military effort, would continue for
six months longer during it.
One of the other laws which will
automatically die six months from
today unless Congress acts is the
law under which wartime leases or
silver held or owned by the United
States is permitted.
The President made public his
proclamation, list of the statutes