Evening star., 1948-06-09
Senate Defeats
Segregation by
Choice in Draft
Pepper and Tydines
Speak Against
Russell Proposal
By Robert K. Welsh

ny NSbStA w e'S"
The Senate today defeated by
vocie vote a draft bill amend
ment backed by Southern Sena-
tors, to allow inductees to serve
in units of their own race.
Rejection followed a bitter dis
pute in which Southern Senators
fought among themselves. Senator
Pepper, Democrat, Of Florida an
nounced he would not. support the
amendment because he said 1t was
an attempt to prescribe segregation
by law.s
This matter" the Florida Sem
ator declared, should be left to the
good judgment and discretion OF the
armed forces themselves to deter
mine what is best for the services
and for the public interest. If they
abuse discretion there would be
means of recourse"
Tydings Attacks Amendment.
A more direct attack on the
amendment, sponsored by Senators
Russell Democrat, of Georgia and
Maybank. Democrat. of South Caro-
lima. was voiced by Senator Tydings.
Democrat, of Maryland. He said he
did not see how it could be favored
by any one who believes in or Is
against segregation. Such a pro-
cedure in the armed forces, the
Maryland Senator said, would cause
endless complications and, in effect,
establish three different branches,
white, colored and mixed"
Neither side in the debate which
began last night on the RUSSELL
Maybank amendment asked for q
roll call or other record vote.
Leaders on both sides said they
believed the bill will pass today.
The segregation amendment would
have applied to men drafted under
the pending bill or to those who
enlisted after enactment of the
measure. 1t provided that a draftee
or enlistee would have to be as
signed to unit of his own race il
he formally requested it.
Closing the debate on the amend
ment. Chairman Gurney of the
Senate Armed Services Committee
maintained that such procedure
would be "administratively impos-
sible." He also opposed the amend
ment on the ground that 1t was
not necessary in the armed services
or germane to the draft bill.
THE armed services. the commit
tee believes, are handling the ques-
ton of race in very remarkable
way" Senator Gurney said.
| Progress on Problem Reported.
He reported that progress Is being
made in removing whatever dis
elimination exists against Negroes
in the armed forces and that the
problem Is continually under study.
Senators Ellender, Democrat, Of .
Louisiana; Mcclellan. Democrat, Of
Arkansas, and Eastland, Democrat,
of Mississippi spoke in favor of the
amendment.
Senator Mcclellan and Senator
Eastland criticized Democrats as
well as Republicans for bidding
for the Negro vote in this years
election"
Prefacing his remarks by saying
he did not favor social equality"
between whites and Negroes, Sena-
tor Pepper. said he would not vote
for any bill that would legislats
either segregation or nonsegregation.
Senator Russell jumped to his feet
and accused Senator Pepper as hav-
ing wholly and completely misin-
terpreted this amendment" The
Georgia Senator denied again that
his proposal would enforce or i'm
pose segregation in the armed forces.
i A third night session was in
prospect because of several other
controversial amendment proposals.
One would shorten the draftees'
service from two years to one. An
other would put the whole law in a
standby status by making the Presi-
dent responsible for deciding when
, inductions should start.
Draft proponents were not GER
tain of the reception it will get in
IIlt I1OuSC.
Allen Doubtful Of Clearance.
Chairman Allen of the House
Rules Committee told reporters
there is a very good chance" the
committee will vote against clearing
draft bill for floor debate. He
reported that four members favor
sending 1t to the floor, and four,
including himself, oppose the move.
The attitude of four others has not
been indicated, he said.
In a session that lasted almost IL
hours yesterday. the Senate adopted
two major amendments and rejected
several others.
1t approved. Al to 80, an amend
ment by Senator Morse, Republican,
of Oregon to limit the duration of
the draft law to two years instead
of five.
The Senate also approved an
) amendment by Senator Lodge, Re-
publican, of Massachusetts,, author
izing the Army during tn next two
years to enlist 25,0G0 aliens between
10 and IS. The Army would decide
whether they would serve overseas
or in the United States.
$50 Posfmasfers Approved