Evening star., 1950-12-10
Draft Heads Reveal
Plans for Conference
On Student Service
By George Beveridge

~ SSOiSS bSVSttu9V
Prospects Of the first important
public debate on draft deferment
Of students shaped up yesterday
as selective Service officials an
nounced plans for a conference
here December 1S to discuss the
simmering controversy.
Invitations will be sent out to-
morrow to about 200 represent
atives Of education, labor, indus
try. the press and veterans or
ganizations to attend the meet
ing at the old State Department
building.
"Refinements" Of a proposal
for student deferment will be
submitted to Selective Service
Director Lewis B. Hershey as the
formal purpose Of the meeting.
The recommendations come from
several educational advisory COM
mittees.
A9SsA0OASAA n OA ASSA Vow
After receiving the report, Gen.
Hershey will throw the meeting
open to discussion.
The director. who supports
principles" Of the recommended
ton. hopes the meeting will slim
ulate voicing Of public reaction
to it-as well as to the views of
the plans opponents.
Recently. powerful educational
leaders IN some circles have come
out strongly against any form Of
student deferment. These edu-
Gators. including DR.. James B.
Conant, president Of Harvard
University. contend the full sup
ply Of the Nations youth is
needed to maintain expanded
armed forces. Particular care has
been taken to invite opponents of
the deferment plan to the con-
ference.
High School Draft Doubted.
Gen. Hershey told Shoreham
Hotel convention of the Amateur
Athletic Union yesterday that he
has been giving little thought to
o draft of high school students.
II doubt very much If Congress
10 going to consider taking any
boy out Of high school unless he
comes out voluntarily" he de-
clared.
Regarding college student de-
ferment. he wrapped up the prob
lem with this question:
With national survival the
issue, how much can we afford to
put into the future investment of
men who have no particular value
to the Nation at the present
time?"
Group Deferment Opposed.
The director stressed his oppo-
sition to any group" deferment
OF so-called essential" students,
such as those In scientific and
professional courses. Instead, he
urged that any deferment plan
be based on the promise shown
by students in all fields, including
the social sciences.
Asserting that I'VE have not |
yet reached the kindergarten in
human relations" he said scien-
tific developments will do little
good unless we can somehow
learn to live and get along with |
each other"
The draft advisory committees
plan. first disclosed recently, pro-
poses that deferment be based on
the learning capacity" Of STU
dents.
Aptitude Test Suggested.
This would be determined by
Q national aptitude test for all
college students. In order to main
tain deferment status, those who
ranked high on the test would
have to maintain specific scholas-
tic standards throughout their
college careers.
The advisory committees pro-
posals at the conference will stick
to the basic premise Of keeping as
many of the best students as pos
sible," an official said. But the
groups are expected to revise some
Of the mechanics of the plan
which have drawn heavy fire from
educators.
Should Be Variable.
In any event, one official pointed
out, the program should be vari-
able enough to meet changing
manpower needs. If draft calls
are very large, fewer men can be
deferred. If small, the program
should make possible more extern
sive deferment.
Draft. officials already have
asked the Budget Bureau to ap-
prove an appropriation request to
begin the testing by early summer.
If the program is approved, more
than / million students may be
tested during 1851.
Action on the appropriation re-
quest is expected to be the means
by which Congress will make de-
cisions on the controversial defer
ment issue.