The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. ARENDS. It said: First, with regard to the title, what significance, if any, should be attached to the deletion of the word "selective" from the Selective Service Act of 1948, when it was amended and extended as part of the Universal Military Training and Service Act of 1951? In view of the fact that the UMT provisions of that act still have not been implemented, is the Director of Selective Service correct when he declares the action taken in 1951 means the only question is when, not whether the man shall be inducted. And therefore they make the recommendation, while they agree with the 4-year extension, the word "selective" should be restored to the title. I don't know whether that was discussed, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. That was brought up yesterday. I think we should keep the name that was given to it, because, as Mr. Blandford stated, the registration goes right straight along under the other provisions of the bill. Now, we all understand this law pretty well, and it is being administered fairly there. The country understands it. And I am happy that it has withstood the test of time. We hate to have to do these things, but we have responsibilities and we are going to live up to our responsibilities. Now, if there are no further amendments, then I move that H. R. 3005 be favorably reported with these two amendments. Mr. RIVERS. Mr. Chairman, before we vote, may I inquire if we have considered the proposition brought to the committee by Mr. Harrison, of Virginia? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. BLANDFORD. We discussed it. The CHAIRMAN. We considered it yesterday. Mr. BLANDFORD. It has been discussed at great length and discussed with General Hershey also. Mr. RIVERS. Has it been clarified down at Hershey's outfit? The CHAIRMAN. I don't know whether Mr. Harrison-he may offer an amendment along that line. I don't think we are in position to support it, because I don't think he is on sound ground. They would be escape valves where we have more trouble. You probably wouldn't have anybody, hardly. Mr. BLANDFORD. The whole point, Mr. Rivers, is that once you start telling a local board what they can or cannot take into consideration, then you open Pandora's box. Mr. RIVERS. That is exactly what his complaint was. Mr. BLANDFORD. Yes, and Mr. Vinson wrote a letter to the Director of Selective Service and said in effect: "A plague on both houses, because your directive is wrong, to tell them that they should take into consideration the existence of a surplus crop." Mr. RIVERS. That is right. Mr. BLANDFORD. And it would be just as wrong to pass a lawThe CHAIRMAN. He will probably offer the amendment on the floor. Mr. BLANDFORD. Either way. The CHAIRMAN. I will have to oppose it, because I had a long discussion with him and wrote him 2 or 3 letters about it. Now, as to Mr. Hinshaw's amendment yesterday, of a very fine hearing on that subject matter, as we heard from outstanding witnesses of learning who knew what they were talking about, I suggested to Mr. Hinshaw that it was such an important subject, and this is an important subject, that probably the best way to do with it, as he introduced a special bill on it instead of offering an amendment to this bill on the floor of the House, that we would have a hearing for him and assign the bill to Mr. Kilday's subcommittee, and Mr. Hinshaw said in view of that fact, he would offer no amendment along that line. So therefore the only amendment that I know of that may be offeren is Mr. Harrison's amendment, and I think our position in refusing to include it in the bill is the right course to pursue. Of course, we will have to debate it on the floor. Mr. BLANDFORD. I might say Mr. ARENDS. The discussion of it, Mr. Chairman, may stop this bill. Mr. BLANDFORD. Yes. I would like to explain. An amendment such as Mr. Harrison may propose might be harmful in the long run. The Congress very wisely has left the question of deferments in the hands of the local boards. Now, if you start putting into the law things that the local boards can't take into consideration, then you are going to open up a whole new avenue of approach to this whole subject, and when Congress will be saying what you can and cannot take into consideration. Mr. SHORT. And we can't direct it here from Washington. Mr. BLANDFORD. No. Each local board has to decide on all of the facts. The CHAIRMAN. That is right. Mr. BLANDFORD. As to whether a person should be deferred or not deferred, and if the law says the existence or nonexistence of surplus crops cannot be taken into consideration, then the next step will be for industry to want the same situation for the production of automobiles and all that sort of thing. Mr. RIVERS. I just wanted to bring it to the attention of the committee, because the National Selective Service headquarters had issued a directive from Washington telling the local boards they could not do what the Congress told them they could do, that is, to decide whether or not a man is essential to that industry on the grassroot level. Mr. BLANDFORD. That is right. Mr. RIVERS. That is the reason I brought it up. Mr. BLANDFORD. And Mr. Vinson has, I would say in unmistakable terms, so stated to General Hershey-and it is in the hearings-that in his opinion is was wrong. Mr. RIVERS. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. You can't interfere with the local boards. They are the whole machine. Mr. DURHAM. He has done it. Mr. RIVERS. Of course he did it. The CHAIRMAN. The local boards don't have to pay any attention to it unless they want to. All those in favor of this bill with these two amendments, when your name is called, vote aye, and those opposed, vote no. (Rollcall.) Mr. BLANDFORD. There are 31 voting "aye"; none voting "nay. The CHAIRMAN. A quorum being present and 31 members having voted "aye," the bill is therefore passed, and we will report it to the House. And I trust the counsel might be able to write the report today. And I will ask that we have until midnight to file the report, because the Rules Committee might give us a rule either tomorrow or Monday. And I will ask Mr. Kilday, Mr. Brooks, or Mr. Short, if I am not on the floor, to be sure to get permission to file the report by midnight tonight. Mr. BLANDFORD. We will have it ready by 5 o'clock, Mr. Chairman, at any rate. Mr. HOLTZMAN. Mr. Chairman, may I be recorded on this rollcall? I vote "aye." Mr. BLANDFORD. Change the vote to 32 to nothing. The CHAIRMAN. I would suggest 2 hours would be long enough. Mr. SHORT. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Two hours will be long, now. It has already been announced to the floor. We are going to have a rollcall on the floor of the House on the final passage of the bill. Mr. ARENDS. Mr. Chairman, would you like to get it down on Tuesday? The CHAIRMAN. I am going to finish it on Tuesday. That is the program of the House, to finish it on Tuesday, so we can wind up for the weekend and get away from here for other engagements. Now, there has been referred the Reserve bill to Mr. Brooks' subcommittee. And there has been referred to Mr. Kilday's subcommittee the pay bill. Now, the full committee will take a recess so these two subcommittees can go to work and commence hearings on Monday morning or whatever time it suits the chairman's convenience. Mr. Brooks can take this room. Mr. Kilday take the other room. And I hope when the hearing is set down, if it is set down for Monday, the members that are not on those two committees will participate and attend either one of these two hearings. Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. BROOKS. I am wondering if I could get an expression from members of my subcommittee of how many of them will be in Washington over the next weekend. The CHAIRMAN. This weekend? Mr. BROOKS. No, not this weekend. Mr. PATTERSON. Lincoln Day speeches. Mr. BROOKS. I want to know about what time they will be away from here. I don't want to call meetings when they are away making speeches. On the other hand, we want to get started as soon as we can and push these things. If there will be a pretty good attendance all next week, we can sit all week. The CHAIRMAN. Why can't you open your hearings on Monday? Mr. BROOKS. No, on Tuesday. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Kilday, can you open your hearings on Monday? Mr. KILDAY. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Then, Mr. Kilday, I would like for you to announce that you will open the hearing on the pay bill in your committee room Monday morning at 10 o'clock. Mr. BROOKS. We will start Tuesday. Mr. Brooks is announcing-What? Mr. BROOKS. Tuesday morning. Mr. BLANDFORD. May Subcommittee No. 1, with Mr. Brooks' permission, use the full committee on Monday, in view of the fact that we will have most of the secretaries and I imagine quite a large attendance on Monday. The CHAIRMAN. That is right. Let Mr. Kilday start off here Monday morning. Mr. BLANDFORD. All right, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And Mr. Brooks will be up here Tuesday morning, and after that Mr. Kilday will have to go to the other committee room. Now, Mr. Huddleston, do you want to be recorded? Mr. HUDDLESTON. Yes. Mr. Chairman, I want to apologize for being unavoidably detained. The CHAIRMAN. New members must always be on time. I will take you under my protective wing. Mr. BLANDFORD. You want to vote "aye" on the draft? Mr. HUDDLESTON. I would like to have the record show I vote "aye" on H. R. 3005. Mr. BLANDFORD. That makes it 33. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Durham. Mr. DURHAM. I would like to give notice to my subcommittee. We have a bill on the National Aeronautics Authority that has to be acted on because they have to have authorization before they go to the Appropriations Committee. Mr. RIVERS. Mr. Chairman The CHAIRMAN. Wait 1 minute. Mr. DURHAM. I would like to do it Monday. The CHAIRMAN. Why not Mr. Durham's subcommittee take up the bill he has just called attention to Monday morning, and he can use that other committee room and get through with not only that bill but some other bills. Now, we have to get something on the floor of the House, because the House can't act unless the committee acts. So the committee has to work pretty fast now to put something on the calendar. Now, the subcommittee headed by Mr. Rivers on acquisitions and disposals. I would suggest, Mr. Rivers, that you try to take that up Friday morning, if that suits your convenience. Mr. RIVERS. I asked you about that yesterday. The CHAIRMAN. Well, I am asking you now. Mr. RIVERS. Yes, sir, anything you say, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Mr. Rivers' subcommittee meets Friday morning at 10 o'clock. Now we will take a recess. Mr. RIVERS. Nine o'clock, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Nine o'clock. Mr. BATES. Mr. Chairman, 9 o'clock. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Now, is there any other business for the full committee? Mr. VAN ZANDT. Mr. Chairman, I have had some inquiry from some of the members of the House concerning the possibility of the committee requesting the Navy Department to set up a weekend trip on the carrier off of the Virginia capes. The CHAIRMAN. I think that would be a fine thing, but I would suggest that we just wait to let the weather get a little more calm and springlike, than right now. In February and March it is rather rough weather Mr. VAN ZANDT. It won't be until the spring, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. It all depends on how we act how many trips we take. (Whereupon, at 11:10 a. m., the hearing was adjourned.) |