Evening star., 1951-05-29
Way for Expansion
Of Draft IsCIeared
For Action in Week
By George Beveridge

MtSGA VA q ioAAS ~d6dAVC0 dS1CS-
a1snt to expand the draft ano
Set up machinery for a Universe
Military Training program, which
would be controlled largely by the
Military.
latter weeks of bitter wrangline
NRsr the UNIT issue, House and
senate conferees agreed late yes
tefday on plan which would
make it necessary fors Congress
tospasS a limited amount Of legis-
laJion before UNIT actually can
b, on the books. ca.
But it provided specific asSur-
bnce that the program would get
to the House and Senate floors for
b final decision within the next
Several months. High Pentagon Of
ncials, it was learned, expressed
informal satisfaction with the
pMT compromise. :
I s July Call for $4,000.
{ At the same time, the Penta-
gUn issued draft calls for only
$4,000 men in July and $4,000 in
August, all for the Army. The
July call-5,000 lower than June's
is the lowest since 10000 men
we're inducted in November, 1948,
TO start the limited postwar draft.
On other draft bill differences,
the conferees: '' = -
J.. Provided that both officer and
enlisted inactive reservistS' who
served for as much as year dur
ing World War II and have been
recalled to duty since last June
IS, shall be released after II
months of service. The House
wanted to cut this period to IL
months. The provision does not
apply to organized reservists or
members Of the National Guard.
The conferees estimated about
290O00 reservists would get early
releases under this provision.
90, Voted to give the Secretary
ofkDefense the power to control
the sale of beer and whisky. at or
rear military posts, to members
Mthe armed forces.
Changes Previously Settled.
bnder earlier agreements. the
conferees already have decided to
cut the induction age from 10 to
1872, increase draft service from
21sto "a months. cut mental stand
ards to bring in 100000 4-Fs, draft
childless husbands. extend the
draft from next July 9 to July l..
1855, and impose a million-man
strength ceiling on the armed
forces.
chairman Russell of the Senate
Aimed Services Committee, con-
ference leader, said he will file
the conference report with. the
Senate late this week. probably
Friday. The House will get it for
SOCC CdIIy llChI WCCh.
Both Senator Russell and
Chairman vinson of the House
Armed Services Committee both
Democrats, of Georgia, Z were
highly optimistic about chances of
UNIT with their compromise. 4
Il think when this is submit
ted that UNIT will be ready
to go into effect by the latter
part of this year or early next
year Mr.. Vinson declared.
The conferees' plan would give
a separate commission overall su-
pervision of the program but
would give military officials strong
control over the actual training.
Both Sides Give Way
Both sides conceded majo-
points on the UNIT issue. The
specific requirement that Con-
gress must affrmatively act on
some part Of the program was a
main House contention. The de-
cisiDn to place major control over
actual training in the hands Of
the military was Senate VIC
tory.
Here is the way the UNIT plan
would work: =.
l. The President would be au-
thorized to appoint five-mem
ber commission, with three civil
ian and two active or"retired reg
ular service members, which
would draw up the broad outline
of UNIT. Included would be
measures for personal safety,
health, welfare and morals, a
code of conduct and disability
and death benefits.
2. The commission would sub
nit its plan to Congress within
four months.
8. With the right of amending
1t, each of the Armed Services
Committees would have to report
the plan to the floor of each
house within As days. To proven.
pigeon -holing, each report would
be privileged to the extent that
1t could be called to the floor by
any member without clearing
Rules Committees.
Limited Action for Enactment.
4. In order to clear the Con-
gress, each House would have to
approve the code of conduct,
death and disability benefits, and
any portion of the rest OF the
broad program. Affirmative ac-
ton on the entire program would
not be required. @
S. Youths of 18 then could be
indicted into the UNIT 'secur-
ity Training Corps at such time
in the future as either the Presi-
dent or Congress decided to
eliminate actual draft service for
men below the age of 10.
Draft boards would handle the
inductions, and the universal
training" would be for a six
month period. All services would
participate in. the training, and
the trainees would get $50 o