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<br />02353
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<br />1945
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<br />. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE
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<br />11)635
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<br />We Members on this slde of the aisle,
<br />who knew t':m. loin In espre.ulng our
<br />profound sorrow at this sad news of hl.5
<br />passing away.
<br />Mr. CLEVENGER: I thank the gent]e~
<br />man from MiWsslppl for his kind words.
<br />DISCONTINVtNG THE DRAFTtNO OP
<br />YOUNQ MEN
<br />Mr. MILLER of Nebraska. Mr.
<br />Speaker, r ask unanlmous con~ent to
<br />proceed for 1 rnl.l;lUte and to revise and
<br />extend my remarks.
<br />The SPEAKER. Is there obiedlon to
<br />the <<'Quest of the gentleman from Ne~
<br />braska.?
<br />There was no objection.
<br />Mr. MILLER of Nebraska. Mr.
<br />Speaker, the Congress passed a law that
<br />would encourage voluntary enlistments
<br />in the anned forces. The reports I have
<br />reeeh"ed 1n the last few days show that
<br />more than 3.000 mt'D are voluntarHy en.
<br />listlng in some branch of the armed
<br />forces. This brings up the point of how
<br />long we should contlnue selective service.
<br />If lrumeient men volunteer for the mili-
<br />tary to meet their needs and for replace-
<br />ments why is It necessary to continue
<br />drafting men for military servtce? The
<br />seleclive-SI.'rVice law was pa&<;ed to 8et
<br />men to fight the war. We e\'en lowered
<br />the age limit to 18 )'cars. The war Is
<br />now over. It seems tD me the MHltary
<br />Affairs Commlttee of this House should
<br />take imme1llate steps to stop the further
<br />drafting of men. These drafted men are
<br />taken for the duration plus 6 months- .
<br />just holl.' long is the duration? .
<br />Ma.rrled men with famIlies are being
<br />drafted. Essential farm help Is taken.
<br />We mu.~t rl'member that arter.World
<br />War I It tock nearly 3 years for the
<br />Congress to declare the war was over.
<br />The armed forces prefer volunteers, at
<br />letl.St I hope they do. Now men are
<br />goIng Inw some branch of the military
<br />of their own free will, enough to meet all
<br />the present needs of the mUltary. Some
<br />early act.lon must be taken to stop the
<br />further drafting of men.
<br />The SPEAKER. The time of the
<br />gentleman from Nebraska has expired.
<br />WHy Jmot"K B-211 AIR.PLAN~?
<br />11.[[. REES of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I
<br />ask unanimous consent to addresa the
<br />House for 1 minute. and to re\1se and.
<br />extend my remarks.
<br />The SPEAKER. Is there objl'ctlon to
<br />the request of the gentleman from
<br />Kansas? .
<br />'I11ere was no objection.
<br />Mr. REES o( Kansas. Mr. Speaker.
<br />I ha\'e received telegrams and other mes-
<br />sages from Wichita, Kam.. the airplane
<br />capital of the Middle West, protesting
<br />the junklnltof 16 almost completep 8-29
<br />airplanes th9.t haW:'! been declared sur~
<br />plus by the War Department. or one of
<br />a branches.
<br />The Boeinll' Airplane Co., of Wichita,
<br />Kans., did a wonderful job In building
<br />more than 1.500 or there great warships
<br />that were so etrectlve agatn5t the enemy
<br />in the pacific, They were bu1lt In record
<br />time.
<br />Now. some board of the War Depart~
<br />ment ordered that 16 planes, some 01
<br />them so_percent complete, be cut up with
<br />flame tOf{'hes. and torn to pieces an~
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<br />disposed of as junk. The value of these
<br />planes in uncompleted condition Is ap-
<br />proximatelY $9.500.000.
<br />I Quote from one of the messages I
<br />received from a promInent busines:;man:
<br />. Waate llnd nprnu In time 01 actual wv-
<br />fate axe often npedlent Ilnd undemandable,
<br />but wanton dlllregard for the people'a money
<br />IUld 8Ilfety of the Nation Ia neither expedient
<br />nm undeutand.lible.
<br />He $a)-'S further;
<br />These planes mIght be wed 101" tramport
<br />duty with a bit of mocllfylng, Your Influence
<br />18 urgl'ntly 1I01IeltM. In mUe U!e of SUrplus
<br />materials rather thAn Jun,. th~.
<br />I'\.1r. Speaker, 'here Is the irony of the
<br />situation. while the Government is Junk.
<br />lng uncompleted airplanes on the ground
<br />as "SUrplus," more than 100 B-29 alr~
<br />planes. are In the process of completion In
<br />Beattie right now. "
<br />To the average citizen and taxpayer
<br />that kind of performance does not make
<br />very good sense. It does look as If these
<br />great giant planes-built at enormous
<br />cost must have some value other ttlan
<br />going to the junk heap.
<br />PERMISSiON TO ADDRESS THE HOUBE
<br />Mr, VURSELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask
<br />unanimous consent to address the House
<br />'for 1 minute and to revise and extend
<br />my remarks and include two letters.
<br />The SPEAKER, Is there Objection to
<br />the request of the gentleman from Illl.
<br />. nols?
<br />There was no objection.
<br />REPEAL S~E SERVICE
<br />Mr. VURSEIL. Mr. Speaker. follow-
<br />Ing the thought expressed by the gentle-
<br />mll.n from Nebraska, it does seem to me
<br />that two things confront the Congress
<br />which sooner or later-and I Jxolleve
<br />sooner-.should have the atuontion of the
<br />Members. One Is the stopping of the
<br />draft. the other Is getting the men out
<br />of the Army and getting them home.
<br />The process of dernobllization t!i entirely
<br />too slow. Something should be done
<br />about It through presstlfe from the Con-
<br />gress or some source to get 1t speeded up.
<br />We can stop the operation of selective
<br />service on almost the certalb. knowledge
<br />that the Arnu' will be able to secure
<br />enough men under the provisions of
<br />volunteer legislation rerently passed.
<br />Certainly the great number of men who
<br />Bre vohmteerlng under the more attrnc-
<br />tlve pro\'tslon of the bU!. added to those
<br />of the Regular Army and to those who
<br />will remain in the Army for wrne time
<br />berore being relE'ased from the service,
<br />will adequately take care of our present
<br />mtl1tat}. needs.
<br />'I11ere is no need of drafting 50,000 ad-
<br />ditional young men each month. taking
<br />men from business and olt of the farnu
<br />who cannot possibly be replaced, Into the
<br />senice, disrupting and delaying their
<br />educatlon. It is regrettable that the ad-
<br />ministration whIch has the Power in both
<br />Houses of Congress does not ask for the
<br />tf'peal of selective service at once..
<br />In addition to th15 legislation the bill
<br />Inlroduced by the gentleman from t\ew
<br />York, Congressman Run, to release all
<br />men ~..ho have served fOT 18 monthS
<br />should be passed upon famrably by the
<br />lI.Iilllar)" AJIalrs Committc-e and passed
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<br />by the Coneress. We are lo......ering the
<br />morale of the Army and the American
<br />people by refusing to act to stop the draft
<br />and to speed UP demobIll7.atlon. Young
<br />men'are being kept In the Army at great~
<br />er expense to the Government Emd great-
<br />er expense to them In their future.
<br />n Is unfair and bad economics to keep
<br />the young men in the Army for one or
<br />two more years. deprivIng them of an
<br />education when they ha\'e already.spent
<br />1 or 2 years in the armed serVices. This
<br />cannot be justified on any ground.<; and
<br />Df'lther can the continuance of selective
<br />sen'ice be justified. .
<br />Members of Congress should act on
<br />this matter without further delay In such
<br />a convincJng manner that. the Chltf
<br />Executive might join with w.
<br />Under permission of the Speaker, I
<br />want to Insert In the RreOI\D some let-
<br />ters bearing on both of the subjects I
<br />have discussed. I am wlthholdlng the
<br />signatures of the writers, all of whom are
<br />from mydlstr1ct.
<br />RomN!iOl'I, Iu... Not't'mb<!r J. 1945.
<br />Hon.C.W.Vt:IU'If;LL.
<br />Houu 01 RcpT<!untatlVf:~.
<br />WAllhlnlllOn, D. C.
<br />Dv.II CoNca&!\S}UN: I urge that you Con.
<br />gT<"GdllIen do aometlling Immediately about
<br />the Ilendl"ll" of boys OY"_ now. who have
<br />IllrelldYier\'e<!20r2'; Yl'flrs1nthemlHt.Ilry
<br />,,""Ylee, due to the laet they were kept In
<br />the Iltatea and have not a.equlre-d the num_
<br />ber of point. re.qulred for d1fehllrge. .
<br />Many of th'-lIe boYII were taken out of eot-
<br />lege. ho't 2 yean; long enough to relard
<br />their educ:\t1on or alrPf'r now that the Wlll'
<br />h&ll eJIdl'ld.? Why take 3 )ell.. of thet.r It!e
<br />Rt the t1rne they 1W0uld get back?
<br />Pleasa do gtve thlll your tho\lght and due
<br />tlOlUIlderaUon. and !let upon It.
<br />You... truly.
<br />Sr. MAIln. tw.... OctobC1' 211, 1945.
<br />Hon. CHUl.Dl W. VCIllU:LL,
<br />HOV8eoIRepre$entali~,
<br />. WlUhlngto'll,D.C.
<br />DUll alii: 'Why do they keep on draftlng
<br />the farm boys that at. left? . My hu't boy hIlS
<br />been put 1n I-A. lie l'lgurell he wll1 hue to
<br />!to any Ume ll.Ild Is loeIng aU InterNlt In
<br />farming.
<br />We have a IMgl!' tractor emnblne and lll'e
<br />combIning about 300 acres tllls rall. If tbey
<br />take hIm. we Il1"e tbrough fll.rmlng Il.8 1 am
<br />11.0 invalJd and haven't been farming lor 12
<br />yea.. myself.
<br />Atlother son of mine. who llt on a 400-IlC.e
<br />farm. 18 In I-A aJ80.
<br />Can you do anythIng about thld ,.
<br />YOUta resp<<Uully.
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<br />F.rFtII'CH...... ILI.......01:lC'"bil!'l' 1; 1945.
<br />Hon. CII..al.ES v,". VmlS!:LL.
<br />Howe oj JkJl1'e~mtCl.UV<!,.
<br />Wcuhlngton, D. C.
<br />DIlAIl 8m; Iu our Congrttillmll.n and the rep.
<br />rl!lU'ntatlve of thla dlstrtct, I am ap~allng to
<br />you In. behalf ot our IMJn, who la In the serv_
<br />Ice or the Coast Guard and hiOS been tor
<br />nurly 31.,)'('aTlI. He tnllltted In July 1942
<br />and bas been OTerae'-8 now sI1'Ice July 194~,
<br />He haa been .ta.t1OIled at Okln!\1I1l alnee
<br />hill arrival o"e~1l& &rid haa ~n In the two
<br />telTlble typhoons whICh hit that Island.
<br />From all 1QdlcatwUlI his .work or duties do
<br />not Beem CSSE'ntlaI. It seernJI to be Jlat II
<br />matter 01 kllUng time. \911y does the Navy
<br />or Cout Guard k<<1' mt'n In the UTV1<<'.
<br />praetlc:llly pl&rlng around w~en they COUld
<br />be 1'I.n1l!.h1ng their t'duetltlon as our IIOrl
<br />planned \0 do before he went Into the
<br />erv1ee?
<br />Our 1101\ doea not have high polots despIte
<br />~e fact he has betn In the wnlce neatly
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