Evening star., 1951-03-15
House Unit Kills
4-MiI|ion CeiIinQ
InItsDraft Bill
Supports Release
Of Reservists After
Il Months Duty
BY George Beveridee


Committee voted today to kill a
draft bill provision to impose a
strength ceiling of million men
on the armed forces.
In a draft bill passed last week
the Senate approved the 4-million
ceiling over strong protests of
Pentagon and administration lead
ers.
In surprise move, the House
committee also approved fiat
provision that World War II vet
eran enlisted ReservistS called to
active duty-Who were not men,
berS of organized Reserve units
cannot be held in service involun-
tarily for longer than II months.
Calls Psychology Bad.
In addition. the committee:
l. Voted in approval of a provi-
sion that the authority to draft
men for service be wiped out after
June of 1854.
2. Approved authority for Con-
gress to halt inductions at any
time by concurrent resolution. A
concurrent resolution does not
require presidential signature.
Later Chairman Vinson an
nounced in the House floor that
the committee would finish action
on the bill today and call it up
for Hahot tn A mil .
The move to kill the military
ceiling proposal came in a hotly
contested amendment submitted
by Mr.. Vinson. He was upheld by
a vote of l8 to Is. Afterwards he
told reporters:
The psychology of this restric-
ton is bad. If the world knew we
could go only to a strength of
million it would give the i'm
preston that the United States
would go all out for defense only
up to 4 million men"
Two COP Moves.
The strong administration vic
tory in eliminating the ceiling
proposal came after two Repub-
lcan moves failed, in attempts
TO flXe a military ceiling at 80
million and at 3.5 million.
This afternoon the committee is
expected to take up further
amendments. The draft measureI
would lower the compulsory in
ductlon age from 10 to 1872 and
increase draft service from 81 to
26 months.
An attempt by Mr.. Vinson to
kill the proposal limiting life Of
the Draft Act was defeated. %
to II. The Senate was able to
defeat Republican moves to i'm
pose such limit.
The committee, in dealing with
reservists called to active duty
voted to tighten drasJically an
amendment which would have told
the military to release reservists
after II months service when
practicable" By vote of 20 to
13, the group upheld an amend
ment by Representative lowe.
Republican. of New jersey, 10 re-
quire fatty that those called in
voluntarily after last June 25 can
be held only one year.
Applies Only to Veterans.
This provision applies only to
members of the inactive and
volunteer" reserve, who are those
not receiving drill pay in urgan-
lied units, and who served between
Pearl Harbor and the end of the
war. Thus, if this provision should
pass Congress, reservists would be-
come eligible for immediate re-
lease in large numbers after next
June 25.
The Navy and Air Force an
nounced last night they will
order to active duty all of their
Reserve Officer Training Corps
students graduating from college
this year-a total of more than
10000 young men.
The Air Force said a contingent
of about 8,100 ROTC students will
be ordered into uniform this year
Those who graduated at mid-term
will be called within 80 to 100
days. June graduates will get Or
ders to report as second lieuten-
ants within 80 days of gradu-
alton.
The Air Force graduates will
be given an opportunity to VOL
unteer for flight training or for
limited number of assignments
to special one-year graduate
courses in meteorology. If select
ed for either program, they must
agree to remain in uniform for
three years.
A Navy spokesman said pres
ent plans call for ordering about
1000 of it's ROTC students to ac-
tive duty this year. They will re-