Life Without Father?

If Congress amends the Selective Service Act along the lines proposed last week, every man in the U.S. between 18 and 65 (including aliens) will have to register. Those between 21 and 45 will be liable for military or naval active service.*

Squaring off to broaden the present act, Congress resolutely preambled: "It is the national policy to accept no result save victory...and...to this end it is imperative that liability for military service be extended to further age groups and that a complete inventory of the man power of the nation be taken by registration."

The House Military Affairs Committee sat down to listen to Brigadier General Lewis B. Hershey, administrator of the draft. The man charged with the vital task of mobilizing the nation's man power has done a quiet, capable job with the first draft. Young (48), Indiana-born, he once taught school to earn tuition for college. Though his ancestors were Mennonites (who are deeply opposed to war), he joined the National Guard, was sent to the Mexican border in 1916, served in France, returned and passed his examinations for the Regular Army. One of his two sons is at West Point, the other is at Fishburne Military School. In short, General Hershey is a professional.

General Hershey told the committee that it will be necessary to "invade homes quite considerably." The new dragnet will have a smaller mesh. Commenting on past abuses of deferment privileges, General Hershey remarked dryly: "I must confess that we have found a great number of men who have assumed new and heavy responsibilities at home."

How many men are needed? Officials talked of an Army of 7,500,000.

War Department and draft officials wanted a bill which made men between 19 and 45 liable for active service. They figured that there were 30,000,000 in the group, about one-fourth of whom were fit for service. But the Military Affairs Committee gagged, finally passed an amendment which set the minimum age at 21. If the bill passes Congress in that form, original calculations will have to be revised, draft officials will have to look more sharply at married men and men with dependents. Some Congressmen vowed they would fight to have the 19-year minimum restored. But whatever bill passes, conscription is going to dip deep down into the country's male population.

* Age limits in World War I: at first, 21 to 30; later, 17 to 45.

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