Evening star., 1951-06-03
Little Opposition Seen
To House Passage Of
Draft Bill This Week
By GEORGE Rexeridoe


versal military training program
will win easy House approval this
week, possibly even without a
roll call vote.
The House Senate compromise
draft bill whipped through the
Senate by voice vote two days
ago. and is scheduled by House
leaders for consideration on
Thursday.
Main provisions of the bill
aside from UMT-inelude reduc-
ton of the draft age from 19
to 1872, increased draft service
from 81 to "a months, imposition
of a 5-million-man military
strength ceiling and extension of
the authority to draft men until
July l, 1855.
Strongest indication that it will
have clear sailing Thursday came
from Representative Short, Re-
publican, of Missouri, who led a
bitter fight on the House floor to-
kill any provisions for UNIT.
Little Opposition Seen.
Mr.. Shore. who said he signed
the House Senate conference re-
port because he was committed to-
uphold the position of the House. II
made clear that he still is bitterly
opposed to peacetime conscrip-
tion"
"If we have a roll-call vote
and I doubt that we will-I'd per-
haps vote against it," he said
But I won't strongly oppose the
bill. I think the compromise is
the best we could hope for. and
we got more than / thought we
would"
Another Republican confereeI
who opposed making UNIT a part
of the draft bill. Representative
Arends. of Illinois, the G. o. p.
whip, agreed that there should
not much opposition"
An aide reported that Repre-
sentative Barden, Democrat, of
North Carolina also is pretty well
pleased with the outcome of the
conference" A substitute bill in
troduced on the floor by Mr.. Bar
den to split UNIT entirely from
the draft bill was the center
around which the UNIT issue was
fought during House debate on
the measure.
Some Argument Likely.
Chairman Vinson of the House
Armed Services Committee, mill
tary affairs leader in the House,
said fatty that he anticipated no
difficulty in getting swift approval
of the compromise.
Representative Kilday of Texas,
second ranking Democratic con-
feree, said he has heard of no
plans for a strong fight
The Texan pointed out that the
House may have small voting
membership Thursday because OF
the light business schedule set UP
this week. Il really don't know
whether that will affect the vote
or not" he added.
Despite the general optimism
about chances of the compromise
bill, however, the conferees may
run into strong arguments on
some points.
One of the most likely, a con-
feree said. is a provision which
would force the military to re-
lease within II months inactive
reservists called to active duty
who had served as long as a year
during World War II. House
members-thoroughly disgruntled
over the reserve recall program
insisted earlier that inactive re-
servists who served as long as
80 days during the war be re-
leased after only IL months of
duty since the Korean war
started.
UNIT Machinery Set Up.
But the heaviest debate un-
doubtedly will revolve around
provisions for the UNIT program.
AS approved by the Senate, the
compromise would authorize the
President to appoint a predoni-
nantly civilian commission to
draw up broad outlines of UNIT
program. This would not include
details of the actual training
which would be controlled by the
Pentagon. The commission would
submit its plan to Congress with
in four months after confirmation
of commission members.
Then, within As days. the Armed
Services Committee of each house
would be required to file a bill
establishing the program and any
member could call the report for
consideration. All Congress would
have to do to clear the program
would be to enact a code of con-
duct and death and disability
benefits for the trainees. It need
not act on the entire program.
With machinery thus estab-
lished, youths between 1S and 10
could be indicted for six months
of universal training" whenever
Congress or the President de-.
cided men below the age Of 19
need no longer be drafted for
actual service.
Satisfied With Age Plan.
Mr.. Short said he was satisfied
with the guarantee that Congress
- would have to take affirmative
action" before UNIT actually could
get started. 1t is at that time,
members feel, that opponents will
make their strongest fight.
Whether or not I'll make a
fight then depends on what the
commission sends u.s." Mr.. Short
said.
House members also are be-
lieved to be well satisfied with
another provision which cuts
chances of 18-year-olds being
drafted soon, despite the age drop
from 10 to 1917. The provision