ATTITUDE OF CONGRESS TO PROPOSALS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25447, 19 March 1948, Page 7

ATTITUDE OF CONGRESS TO PROPOSALS

Republican Opposition To Full Conscription COMMITTEE LEADER ATTACKS SPEECH (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.45 p.m.) WASHINGTON. March 17. Congressional Republican leaders indicated after Mr Truman’s speech to-day that the President might get more money for aircraft instead of the conscription powers he requested. , If conscription were approved, however, it was more likely to be a limited restoration of war-time selective service instead of all out universal training. [The original Selective Service Act of 1940 provided for one year’s military training for men 21 to 35. No more than 900,000 were to be in training at one time. The act exempted only clergymen, divinity students, high-ranking public officials, and conscientious objectors. The legislation authorised deferments at the President's discretion. An amendment in August, 1941, reduced the age limit to 27.]

Neither plan will succeed if Mr Leo Allen (Republican, Illinois) who is chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, has his way. , Mr Allen, whose committee has blocked universal training legislation since the summer, said that Mr Truman could not have alarmed the people more by his draft request than if he had asked for a declaration of war. “The only consolation the people have is the knowledge that Congress will act wisely,” he added.