I believe that every able-bodied male citizen should have basic military training in order to learn discipline, how to take care of himself and others in the open, to use weapons if called upon, and so forth. My bill provides that upon being inducted into military training and service, a man who may feel himself to be mentally qualified may apply within 30 days to a special board composed of men qualified to judge, who may be scientists and technicians, either actual or prospective. Such an applicant would have his records transferred to that board if he is found qualified, whereupon, at the completion of his basic training, and before 90 days, he would be discharged from military service. The reasons for the 90-day period are twofold: (a) It is sufficient time for him to receive basic military training, and (b) it ends before he would have become qualified under the law for veterans' benefits. Then he would make periodic reports to this special board, as required, and his records would remain with that board so long as he pursued a course of study or employment in science or technology until he reached age 35. If he decided to vary from science or technology, his records would be retransferred to the Selective Service System for disposition, as circumstances might indicate. In other words, he is then liable for completion of training and service. Now, that, very simply and perhaps oversimplified, is the purpose of my bill (H. R. 2847). It seems a little bit silly that we authorize college deferments for students of high academic standing because we have recognized the need for men of advanced learning. Ye let men go on to graduate school to further that learning, and then we pop them into 2 years of service, probably as privates in the Army. My friend and colleague, Mr. Kilday, whom I notice to be present, mentioned the other day an inquiry of the Defense Department as to how many doctors of philosophy were serving as enlisted men, and I think the answer was 347. Just imagine that. And at a time when we need them in Government and industry and in the universities so badly. My bill would help correct a situation of that sort, assuring fuller utilization of the Nation's scientific and technological potential. It would do more than that, I think. It would serve as a constructive incentive for more young men to prepare for careers in science and engineering. It would, in this basic way, help assure the strength and the security of our Nation. Now, Mr. Chairman, in connection with those ads that I sent to be looked over, there is a summary of the companies who are advertising and the positions offered, and I would like to have that inserted in the record following my statement concerning the advertising in the beginning. (The ads follow:) REPORT ON NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS FOR ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS, JANUARY 31, 1955 NEW YORK TIMES Sunday, January 30, 1955: 517 column inches of display ads, 38 individual ads including: Allen B. DuMont Laboratories; Fischer & Porter Co.; Emerson Radio & Phonograph; Westinghouse Electric of Baltimore; Curtiss-Wright; Mid-Century Instrumatic; Sanders Associates; Sylvania Electric Products; Radio Receptor; Sperry Gyroscope; International Business Machines; Burroughs Research Center; Walter Kidde Nuclear Laboratories; Radio Corporation of America; Kollsman Instruments; Republic Aviation; National Co.; Power Generators, Inc.; Electronics Corporation of America; Arma; Reeves Instrument Corp.; Westinghouse Atomic Power Division; General Electric; Automatic Manufacturing; Minneapolis Honeywell; Bendix Aviation; and Pratt & Whitney. WASHINGTON STAR Sunday, January 30, 1955: 79 column inches of classified ads, 7 individual ads including: General Electric; Ahrendt Instrument Co.; Emerson Research; Western Electric; Martin Aircraft; and Melpar, Inc. NEW YORK TIMES Monday, January 31, 1955: 120 column inches of classified ads, 30 individual ads including: Allstates Engineering, Research Labs, Sperry, Bendix, Tung-Sol Electric, General Electric, Boeing Airplane, Western Electric, Hughes Aircraft, Lehigh Engineering, Foster-Wheeler Corp., Douglas Aircraft, North American Aviation, Martin Aircraft, Burton Manufacturing, and McDonnell Aircraft. LOS ANGELES TIMES Sunday, January 30, 1955: 330 column inches of classified ads, 97 individual ads including: Firestone Tire & Rubber, Gilfillan Bros., Lear, Inc., Hughes Aircraft, Fairchild Camera & Instrument, Consolidated, Atlas Tool Co., Lockhead, Northrop, Hughes Tool Co., Remington Rand, Hydraulic Research & Manufacturing, RCA, Bechtel Corp., Consolidated Western Steel, Cannon Electric, Radioplane Co., Hydro-Aire, Chrysler Corp., B & H Engineering, Goodyear Tire, Santa Barbara Research Center, Hiller Helicopters, Douglas Aircraft, Ramo-Wooldridge, Shell Oil, Minneapolis-Honeywell, Longren Aircraft, Sterling Electric Motors, Hoffman Laboratories, Servomechanisms. Atomic power for transportaion and in- High-voltage pulse circuits Microwave oscillators Stability and control devices Guided missiles Magnetic tape transport mechanisms Bomber-defense mechanisms Photoelectric and infrared-sensitive Missile-guidance devices Tachometers detectors Aircraft instruments The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Hinshaw. Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Hinshaw has put his finger on a very important matter there. Because it has come to my attention that they are still drafting engineers and very able engineers, and putting them in as privates in the service; I recently ran across the case of a chemical engineer who had been assistant engineer in a large refinery in the Southwest, who was inducted, doing KP duty, which is all right-I have done it myself-but he was doing that rather than being used as an engineer. And he had an engineering status in the Reserves as a first lieutenant. But he had been drafted and used just in his ordinary nontechnical capacity in the service. I think that is a waste of manpower. Mr. RIVERS. May I inquire, Mr. Hinshaw, one thing, Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. All right. Mr. RIVERS. Do others of our allies follow a similar procedure to which your bill relates, and to this group which your bill affects? Mr. HINSHAW. Yes, notably England. Mr. RIVERS. I have seen about England. Mr. HINSHAW. Yes, notably England, because they, I believe, defer them altogether from any military service, and continue them on the books until they have gotten their studying over, their degrees, and so on, and then put them to work. That, I think, is the best example among our allies. Mr. RIVERS. I have seen that. Mr. BATES. Mr. Chairman The CHAIRMAN. Now, one minute, please. Now, Mr. Hinshaw, yesterday I brought this up for the attention of the committee when we had General Hershey. General Hershey raised the point that probably this matter should be dealt with from somewhat of a different approach from that set out in your bill, somewhat along the same line that consideration is given when we draft doctors or dentists, that an advisory board in the community pass upon it. In other words, as is submitted by your bill, you have two methods. You have the selective-service board to grant deferments and then you would have this board granting deferments. Ordinarily, it is a bad approach when you have two different bodies that accomplish the same thing; that is, giving deferment. You ought to have one board passing upon it. What is your reaction to having an advisory committee to pass upon these engineers and scientists and these boys who want to follow out that line of profession? Mr. KILDAY. Mr. Chairman, before Mr. Hinshaw goes into that Mr. KILDAY. It should be considered at the same time. As I understood General Hershey yesterday, he made the point that Mr. Hinshaw's bill provides for the release of men after they have been inducted. Mr. HINSHAW. Exactly. Mr. KILDAY. Whereas, we have never had anything comparable to that. It could possibly be handled several ways, but we have always handled it on deferment prior to entry into the service. That is what I understood General Hershey stated yesterday. Mr. GAVIN. Mr. Chairman, at that point- Mr. GAVIN. I just want to say at that point that the facts are, as I understood General Hershey yesterday, that where there is a selective board in respective communities throughout the Nation, there wouldn't be an advisory board wherever there is a selective board. There may be one State advisory group, where a question comes up as to the qualifications of this young man, that it would be directed by the board to the advisory group of that State, not put to a selective board in every community and an advisory board in every community. The CHAIRMAN. I think Mr. Hinshaw has in mind what General Hershey said yesterday. And we have General Hershey here this morning, and when Mr. Hinshaw finishes, I want General Hershey to testify and give his views, so Mr. Hinshaw can thoroughly understand what General Hershey had to say. All right, now, go ahead. Mr. HINSHAW. My bill does not have anything to do with local selective-service boards. They may operate in the customary way. The CHAIRMAN. That is right. Mr. HINSHAW. And the young man is either inducted or volunteers for induction. Thirty days after he has been inducted-within 30 days, that is— either voluntarily or by the regular process, he can apply to a special board appointed by the President-not in States but by the President. Because there are not many of these. These are very special people. And there are not many, and this board would be appointed from persons recommended by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation. They are a board already appointed by the President, but they would make the recommendation. So they would be high-level scientists and scientific men, fully qualified to judge who might be or become a scientist or engineer or technician. The CHAIRMAN. Now, wait one minute, Mr. Hinshaw. Now, he goes in by the local draft board at the age of 19, we will say Mr. HINSHAW. Or thereafter. The CHAIRMAN. Or thereafter. All right, then, after he has been inducted, before he has become an engineer or a scientist or a technician of the kind referred to in your bill, he makes his application to this board, set up in your bill, to be given a deferment so he may pursue his college work to obtain that type of training. That is correct, isn't it? Mr. HINSHAW. Either then or after he has completed his college or at any other point. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Now, what grounds and what facts could the board base a decision on? Here is a young man, 19, 20, 21, or 22, that has said he wanted to be an engineer or a scientist, and they said, "Well, as far as you know, you look like you have the qualification. You made a good record in school. So we'll put you out." But we don't know whether he will ever turn into an engineer or whether he will ever be a good scientist. Mr. HINSHAW. People-I happen to be an engineer, and it is not hard to recognize among young men those who are qualified by excellence of study and pursuance and diligence, and so forth, of the studies. After they have entered college, of course, they are entitled to a system of deferments by academic reasons, according to the present regulations. The CHAIRMAN. That is right. Mr. HINSHAW. And to go on to graduate. Now, they are known for what they are, as scientific or engineering students. The only time when there may be any doubt is in that little period between high school and college. Now, in that period we are probably not going to get many of these students. They are going to go and complete their college work and get a bachelor's degree. And then I would say they would then volunteer for induction, serve 3 months, and then go on into the master's degree and doctorate of philosophy, if they feel capable of doing so. The CHAIRMAN. Now, why shouldn't the same principle, then, be applied to dentists and doctors? Mr. HINSHAW. I have no objection to that, except that I am particularly intrested in the The CHAIRMAN. It would be just as justifiable, would it not? The CHAIRMAN. That is right, in the present shortage of doctors and dentists, why shouldn't it apply to a doctor or a dentist? Mr. HINSHAW. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. Now, here is a boy that accepted a course in college to qualify him as a doctor or a dentist. He has worked for 4 years and graduated. Then the draft board picks him up and puts him in the service. Why shouldn't we set up the same kind of board for young men who aspire to be doctors? Mr. HINSHAW. If he pursues the premedical course in college and intends to go on and be a doctor or a dentist, we have a sufficient shortage of doctors and dentists in this country today to warrant such a procedure, yes. The CHAIRMAN. And your bill is based on the shortage and necessity of engineers and scientists? Mr. HINSHAW. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Of course, we all recognize there is a shortage of doctors. Mr. HINSHAW. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. Chairman, could I ask a question The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Price. Mr. PRICE. I think you missed a very important point in that line of discussion. The CHAIRMAN. What? Mr. PRICE. I think you missed a very important point in that line of discussion. Your interest here and concern isn't in the individual. Your concern is in the national interest later on. Mr. HINSHAW. Yes, sir. Mr. PRICE. When you develop research and development for national good. Mr. HINSHAW. That is right. |