Evening star., 1955-07-02
Russell Plans
Action Soon on
Reserves Bill
Wants Substitute
For Forced Duty
Of 2-Yeur Veterans
BY ]. A, OLEARY

By J. A. OLEARY
Senator Russell. Democrat, Of
Georgia promises Senate hear
ings next week and early
action on the administrators
military manpower reserve bill
which passed the House yester-
day.
The Georgia Senator. chair
man of the Armed Services Com
mittee, made it clear, however.
he wants at least one major
change in the House measure.
He said he is trying I'd work out
a satisfactory substitute for the
compulsory reserve duty the bill
would impose on men who have
served two years in the Army,
or longer periods Of time in the
Navy, Marine Corps or Air
Force.
The Senator said he is willing
to have these veterans go in the
standby reserve, but does not
think they should have to report
regularly for further training in
the ready reserve as long as there
are available other young men
who have never had any training.
House Version
The House bill exempts from
active reserve duty men who
were in uniform before the Ko-
rean truce date, July a, 1858.
But Senator Russell wants a
more comprehensive exemption
for ex-seryicemen. AS chairman
of the Armed Services Commit
tee. he will have much to say
about the shape Of the Senate
bill.
The way was cleared for House
approval after that body de-
feated, 1856 to los, an amend
ment designed to prohibit segre-
cation in the National Guard.
The adoption of a similar
amendment six weeks ago caused
House leaders to sidetrack an
earlier reserve bill. and the leg
islation appeared to be dead for
this year.
Yesterdays revival was a VIC
tory for President Eisenhower.
who took a stand against at
tempts to settle the civil rights
or other issues as riders on this
national defense measure.
Pressed by Powell
Representative Powell, Demo-
crat. Of New York, who offered
the original antisegregation
amendment. renewed it yester-
day. and urged the House to
stand by its earlier decision. But
on a teller vote a strong coali-
ton of Republicans and Demo-
Gratis needed the Presidents plea
and walked up the aisle to be
counted against the amendment.
A motion to recommit was
beaten, 161 to So. and the House
then shouted passage of the bill
without a record roll call.
Chairman Vinson of the House
Armed Services Committee called
it "a good strong bill, the kind
the President wants"
The only substantial change
the House made was to adopt an
amendment by Representative
Thomson, Republican, of Wyom-
ing, under which a boy must
satisfactorily complete high
school, or be 10, to volunteer for
the new six-month training pro-
gram.
AS the bill came from commit
tee, the President was authorized
to accept annually up to $50, 900
boys below the age of 1872 for
six months of active duty. They
would remain thereafter in the
reserves for ia years. deferred
from the draft as long as they
fulfilled reserve training require
ments.
Discrimination Feared
Mr.. Thomson argued the
committee age limit would en-
courage some boys to leave high
school before graduation. Com
mittee members argued the
Thomson amendment would dis
criminate against boys who did
not plan to finish high school.
The new bill is expected to
build up a reserve force of 2.9
million by 1860. Under existing
law the ready reserve is up to 2.S
million on paper, but Of this
number only 100000 are particle
pat1ng in paid training. and this
does not represent balanced and
organized units.
House leaders pointed out that
the penalties in existing law for
failure to fulfill reserve obliga-
tions are so severe. including
fines and Jail sentences. that
they have. never been enforced. !.
The new penalty for failing to-
report for periodical training is
to be ordered on active duty for