Evening star., 1946-06-17
|Conferees SET
End Of Draft for
March 81, 1947
Status Of Teen-Aqe
Groups Remains
Undetermined
By J. A. Oleory
ByJ. A. O'Leory

House and Senate conferees
agreed today on March 81, 1947,
as the expiration date of the
draft law extension, but were
still struggling at noon over the
issue of whether to keep teen-
age youths on the draft lists.
A new suggestion was advanced
this morning under which 18-year-
olds would be inducted only if Presi-
dent Truman certified the Army
had been unable to meet its require
ments from other categories. At the
lunch recess this had not been
accepted.
The new proposal was a further
of the compromise dis
cussed last week. under which 18-
year-olds would be put at the bot
tom Of the registers, made liable for
induction, but not to be sent over
seas until they reach 10.
No Limitation Mentioned.
The suggestion that the status Of
18-year-olds be put up to the
President was advanced today with
out any mention of the requirement
that they be kept in the United
States for year, but the latter.
proposal has not been entirely abans
doned as basis for discussion. -
Another plan, which failed to
bring agreement this morning, was
to set up three priorities, namely:
Cd Use of volunteers, 90 the draft.
ing of men between 20 and A in.
elusive and 90 drafting 19-year-
olds as a last resort.
The Senate bill extended the
draft law to May Is, while the
House voted originally to end it
February Is. The conferees were
able to get together on a nine
month extension until March 81.
When they resume deliberations
this afternoon, they will make an
other effort to settle the real
stumbling block - the teen-age
groups.
Senator Thomas, Democrat. of
Utah indicated he thought there
would be no difficulty in reaching a
quick agreement on the rest of the
bill, including the increased pay
scales for the armed forces. once
the status of the 18 and 19 age
groups is settled.
Pay Increase Voted.
Both houses voted 50 per cent
pay increase for privates, corporals
and sergeants, but had differsnt
rates above that level.
One factor that has DELAYED
agreement is that on each side of
the Joint Conference Committee
there are some who favor straight
application of the law to the teen
ayers and some who want them ex-
empted completely.
Senator Gurney, Republican. of
South Dakota who is trying to keep
the draft law in such shape that the
Army will be able to meet its re-
quirements, is still hopeful for q
settlement that will permit the in
ductlon OF 18-year-olds, with some
strings attached.
Even If the conferees accept such
a compromise, however, the real
test would come when the confer
ence report is submitted to the en-
tire membership of the House, where
there has been strong sentiment to
conflne future drafting to those 20
or over.
The fate of another important
oll-the Senate plan to strearfline
Congress-may be settled this week.
House leaders probably will deter
mine within few days whether to
try to get action on it in the re-
few weeks of this session.
or put off the issue until the new
Congress convenes. If the House
sidetracks it, however, the Senate
will have to act all over again in
the new Congress.
Even supporters of the bill recog-
nize that it faces an uphill fight
in the House for two reasons.
Salary Raise Is Issue.
First. the bill raises congressional
salaries from $4,000 to $4,000 a
year and makes members eligible
to join the civil service retirement
system. These are questions House
members may shy away from in
election year. The entire House
membership faces the voters this
year, whereas only one-third of tf~
Senate had that to think about.
Secondly, the prospect of reducing
House committees from 48 to 18 in
the interest of efficiency means that
80 members would lose the prestige
of chairmanships. Included in this
number are some Southern Demo-
Gratis, whose reelection is a for
mality once they win denomination.
At the same time the Republicans,
who have not had any chairmanships
since the days of Herbert Hoover,
think they have a chance to win
back control of the House this year,
and some of them may not want to
eliminate prospective chairmanships
with that hope in front of them.
The Senate decided Saturday not
to hold session today, so that mem
bers could concentrate on committee
work and Office mail. Starting to-
morrow, they will devote the week
to appropriation bills, which must
become law by July /. The first to
be taken up will be for the Interior
Department.