Evening star., 1948-06-17
Defense
Continued From First Page)

turn the amendments tentatively
adopted last night.
Although the House agreed to a
committee amendment for postpone
ment of inductlons for at least 80
days, it moved toward major test
on proposal to put off actual draft
ing until January 81.
Representative Shafer, Republi-
can, of Michigan, offered the lat
ter amendment yesterday as sub
stitute to the committee amendment
asked by Representative Andrews.
The Shafer amendment was ruled
out Of order as substitute because
it went beyond the scope of the
committee amendment Mr.. Shafer
said he would bring it up again to-
day and believed it has very
good chance"
The amendment not only would
ban registration and inductions un-
til January 81 at the earliest, but
it also would prevent operation of
the draft law unless the President
proclaimed and Congress agreed
that voluntary enlistments failed to
provide sufficient manpower for the
armed forces.
Would Provide Pay Increase.
To stimulate volunteering, the
amendment would authorize 10 per
cent pay increase for enlisted men,
lower the Army classification test
passing grade from 30 to 10, allow
tWo-year enlistments in all branches
of the service, and establish con-
gressional committee to receive
monthly reports on recruiting prog
ress and methods. The amendment
originally sought 25 per cent pay
raise.
The committee amendment, adopt
ed 145 to 38. provides that the draft
law would 60 into effect Immediate
ly on enactment and registration
could be started. No one, however,
could be indicted until the Presi-
dent, not earlier than rs days after
enactment of the law, proclaimed
that voluntary enlistments failed to
furnish enough manpoWer. After
such proclamation, actual induc-
days, so that no one could be draft
ed for at least 80 days.
The House bill, as originally in
troduced, stated only that induc-
tions would not begin until 80 days
after enactment. The bill passed
by the Senate week ago today pro-
vides that the draft law would go
into effect at once.
Short Sees Chance to Beat Bill.
Opponents of the bill to draft
men 10 through Is were jubilant
over adpotion of the one-year
service amendment offered by Rep
resentative Coudert, Republican, of
New York. Representative Short,
Republican, of Missouri exclaimed: ::
Now we've got an outside chance
to beat the bill"
The House was to act today on
almost a score of other amendments,
a few to be offered by supporters
of the draft. 1t also might take
time out TO consider other legisla-
ton.
Even more time might be re-
ouired for debate if, as indicated
by Mr.. Marcantonio, some oppo-
nents use delaying tactics such as
frequent demands for quorum and
roll calls.
That strategy, several members
said, was designed to stave of a
final House vote until the last pos
sicle minute so that House and
Senate might not be able to act
on draft bill conference report
before the expected Saturday ad-
journment.
Substitute Plan Defeated.
House members seemed tired and
tense when the Coudert amendment
came up for vote. Representative
Andrews fought hard against it, de-
claring that twice as many men will
be needed if the term of service is
cut In half"
Mr. Coudert and other members
noted that one instead of two-year
draft service provision was in the
1910 Selective Service Act and that
almost 100000 youths became 81
annually.
A substitute amendment by Rep
rssentative Fulton, Republican, of
Pennsylvania, to make the service
term 18 months instead of two years
was defeated on a voice vote. Efforts
70 reduce the period from two years