The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-07-09


it can not stand quietly by and ignore the
existence of such a law.
This law is essentially totalitarian in char
| acter. 1t is two-edged sword hanging over
| the heads of everyone of us-WHETHER OR
NOT WE BE OF DRAFT AGE. Passed
amidst the hysteria that our nation is in
danger of attack the purposes of its military
Wall Street sponsors are much more sim
lister
Activated, peacetime CONSUMPTION pro-
vides:
Cd The trained manpower to quell any
serious internal disturbance that may arise
sometime in the future;
(2) A striking force to bleed and die for
dear old Standard Oil ct al, the moment our
Republocratic foreign policy becomes COM
pletely bankrupt.
In the first instant, it means that our con-
script sons may we'll find themselves killing
their fathers in smashing strike--in impos-
ing the fascist iron fist upon all the people
of America. In the second, it simply means
our government is not only prepared to back
up our worldwide imperialistic drive with
military might, but will also not hesitate to
use that striking force once it is fully trained
and armed
Extreme? Not at ALL Similar concu-
sons were reached by good many members
of the congress, irrespective of party label.
For example:
Rep. Philbin ID, Mass.): Sc. This bill
means ultimate military dictatorship in the
United States possible bankruptcy, and war
.."-Congressional Record, June 10, p.9380.
Rep. Smith Or, Wisc): g. If we adopt
this legislation we must follow through and
approve economic controls, manpower con-
trolls, and the RECOMMENDATION that goes with
dictatoriaI power. There will be no escape
hot md of Wo
look to history of empires to discover that
they lead down blind alleys and the enslave-
ment of people Is that what we fought two
world wars for? Is this the liberty and free
dom we hear much about from official
government papers? Gong. Record
June II, p. 8775.
Rep. Mike Mansfield Cd, Mont.) in a mas
terful opposition to the draft said 8" We
must emphasize again that this is a perma-
nent system. Let not one be deceived into
the belief that this proposal for peacetime
CONSUMPTION is intended to be temporary
measure merely because the bill contains an
expiration date
'It would be a long step away from democ-
racy to create nationwide bureaucracy, fl
nanced from public funds, and under the
domination of the military establishment
which through it's influence in elections could
decide the limits of it's own activities. There
is, | believe, no more sinister indication for
the complete submergence of American po-
litical and economic democracy than the
permanent system of military training pro-
vided by this bill -.
g. Millions of Americans have fought
and died to avoid just such slavery as it
is now proposed that we legislate into ex-
istence. The compulsory peacetme draft
will wreck the institutions upon which
America is founded Gong. Record,
June II, p. 8776.
(These are only few. A perusal of the
Record will produce many sim
liar statements.)
Tie these statements in with recent con-
tention by the Undersecretary of the Navy
for Air, who, in speaking for CONSUMPTION; in
Grand Rapids, Mich, frankly told his audi
ence g. The next may we'll start on