Evening star., 1950-06-06
Senate Must Act at Once
To Keep Droft Act Intoct
Measure Must Be Passed
Before Close of Month
The Political Mil
ey Gould Lincoln

BY Gould Lincoln
The Senate's opportunity to save the
Selective Service Act Is at hand. Hear
ings on the bill to extend the life Of
the act have been virtually completed by
the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The measure. unless the selectiye service
system is to be allowed to go by the
board completely. must be passed before
the close of this month. So an early
report of the bill TO the Senate may
be expected,
The question is whether the Senate
will accept the watered-down version
of the act passed by the House. or will
amend the House bill and extend the
present law for another two years. The
House bill says to the Selective Service
officials: OK. Go ahead and register
and classify young men between the
ages OF Is and 26 who may be drafted
into the armed Services-but don't take
any Of them"
No, don't take any OF them into the
services unless and until Congress shall
have put through both houses q con-
current resolution declaring an emer-
gency. Members of Congress who sup
port this proposal say. in effect. there
would be no delay. that the national
legislature could and would act promptly
in the event of danger. It's a fact. how
ever. that Congress might be scattered
to the four quarters Of the Nation. would
have to be convened in special session.
and would have to draft and consider
the necessary resolution-all Of which
takes time. Time Of inestimable value
might be lost.
Became Law In l94S.
The present Selective Service Act was
written into law in l94S after President
Truman had strongly urged it on Con.
gress as necessary national defense
measure-in the light Of threatening
world conditions. That was before Russia
had the atomic bomb. That was be-
fore Communist forces had overrn
China. II conditions warranted the en-
actment Of a draft law in l94S. those
Of today make a full-fiedged draft law
even more important
The Selective Service Act Of l94S was
effective at time when voluntary en-
listmentS had fallen of to a degree
that made 1t impossible to keep the
Army up to authorized and required
strength. With a prospect OF being
drafted into the armed services, thou
sands OF young men came forward and
enlisted. A total of only 30.l26 men were
1nducted In the period from November,
1948 to June, 1949. But on the passage
OF the draft act voluntary enlistments
increased enormously. The men preferred
TO enlist rather than await q draft.
particularly as provision was made for
one-year enliStmentS, and for 81 months
IN other cases. More than $500 en-.
listed. over and above the number who
had been regularly enliSting for the six
month period Immediately prior to the
passage OF the draft law. It became
unnecessary to induct men after June
!, l949-and in that month Of June
only one man was inducted.
Proven by Experience.
Obviously. men are not indicted un-
less they are needed-and the past
years experience clearly proves 1t. Why
not. therefore, leave the law as 1t is7
The answer is there is an election Just
around the corner and many well-mean-
ing persons including labor leaders and
educational men. have been clamoring
Tor the death Of the draft. Indeed, when
congress met last January. the odds
seemed to be against any continuation
OF the induction law whatever. Get 1t
OF the books and please a lot OF peopls
that was the general idea.
The House, however, has been per.
suaded that something should be done.
So 1t has straddled the issue, giving q
lick and promise to do something more.
IN case. Admittedly this is far better
than letting the law expire outright.
But thousands Of enlistments are due
to expire this year and thousands may
not re-enliSt. Without the spur of i'm.
mediate or near induction. the number of
new enlistments may be very, very small
as they were before the enactment of
the l948 Selective Service Act. It In
conceivable that the strength of the
Army might drop by 100000 or $50. 600
men under such conditions. Where does
tnat leave the armed forces and ade-
quate training? OF course, 1t may be said.
Congress could then declare an emer.
gency. What fine sight that would be
and how difficult, unless conditions
forced Congress to act.
In reporting its standby bill to the
house, the House Armed Services Com.
mlttee said-of the provision prohibit.
ing inductions until Congress declared
an emergency-"It protects the Nation
from administrative whimsy In the i'm.
fermentation OF Selective Service Au-
tnority." Administrative whimsy. in this
case may be far better than politics
which may weaken the country's de.
lenses.