Evening star., 1948-06-18
Delay in Draft Law
uglikeIy 10 Weaken
Diplomacy Of u. 5.
Administration Failure
o' TO Show Its Need Leave.
. Congress Hesitont
By David Laurence

Outwardly the controversy over
what kind of a draft bill to pass
could be mistaken for conflict of
interest between ''isolationists' and
-internationalists" or between advo-
,eates of preparedness and oppo-
nents Of larger armament.
= But no such definitions or cleav-
ages can be justified. The truth is
that the President and the Secre-
tary of State have failed to make
out case for the need of peacetime
eonscription. This means that just
ahead of a national election mem
hers OF Congress OF both parties are
hesitant to vote for a draft.
This may be called plain politics,
bit it is at the same time the man
pher in which the electorate reacts
irrespective of partissnship. There
, are as many Democrats as there are
Republicans who fear the conse-
, nuences of draft bill on the atti-
Jude of voters.
-, Reports Tossed Around.
:. It isn't as il there were war in
progress into which America might
Suddenly be drawn. The threat OF
war with Russia has been drama
'tized again and again but without
conviction. The House of Repre-
sentatives, during its debate on the
draft bill, tossed around one report
, that the Secretary of State did say
war was possible and another that
he said there was no pressing emer-
sency. Whatever he said was said
in an executive session and serves
Only to underline how uninformed
the American people are as to what
is the nature of the military crisis
that confrontS them.
The diplomatic relations between
Russia and the United States have,
of course, been strained but the
. Russian peace offensive" success
fully disseminated the impression
that war isn't likely in the imme-
diate future. The American Gov
iernment's rejoinder to the peace
offensive" was weak and clumsy,
and hence the draft bill suffered.
Much more important as an in
fuence in retarding the draft law
from being passed in the form de-
sired by the armed services was
the propaganda attributed to the
supporters in Congress Of the TO-
group Air Force. Over the pro-
tests of the President and his Secre-
tary Of Defense, Congress appro-
priated more money than was re-
ouested in order to put into being
4 7o-group Air Force. The ex-
planation heard in the corridors OF
the Capitol was that by voting more
planes there would be no need OF
draft. As a sheer matter OF ex-
change, many members were willing
TO spend more dollars than to vote
to tear up the lives of the younger
generation and interrupt their
schooling and their working careers
with two years of military service.
Ground Forces Needed.
As 1t turns out, Congress voted
the 7O-group Air Force and still
has been confronted with demand
for a draft bill. Many members
have hesitated to 60 along with the
peacetime conscription because they
honestly believe an Air Force can do
everything. They have been told
by some overenthusiastic airmen
that both an Army and a Navy is
relatively inconsequential and that,
If only enough airplanes are pro-
vided, American security will be as
sured.
Now the ground forces feel them
selves in need Of q draft law to
supply the enormous numbers OF
men needed to handle the installa-
tions and mechanical work at the
bases where airplanes take on ana
land.
While the armed services have
each been eager to get their neceS-
sary appropriations, it does seem
nevertheless that not a very strong
case has been made for the draft
at least one strong enough to con-
vince Congress. many OF whose
members still feel that mild draft
law with a deferred date will accel-
crate recruiting and bring the
necessary personnel into the armed
services long before the actual need
for war service will arise.
Since war isn't regarded as i'm
minent. q draft law that takes ef-
feet after election isn't likely to
weaken the diplomacy Of the United
States. For the important fact
psychologically is that there Is to
be q peacetime draft.
(Reproduetion Rishts Reserved)