The Pittsburgh Press (August 13, 1941)
ONE VOTE EDGE ASSURES LONG ARMY SERVICE
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Leaders hope Senate will approve House action on extension
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Washington, Aug. 13 (UP) –
Administration leaders hoped today that the Senate would accept and speed to President Roosevelt tomorrow the House version of Army extension legislation passed by a one-vote margin in a lengthy uproarious session.
The climax of the tumultuous battle was reached last night when opposing forces marshalled their strength for the 203–202 showdown.
So close was the vote that a recapitulation was ordered amidst the boos and cheers of House members. Tense, packed galleries – liberally sprinkled with soldiers in uniform – listened intently as the final roll was called and the tally announced.
Meets tomorrow
Unless the Senate accepts the House resolution, the legislation would have to be sent to conference to reconcile differences. Leaders admitted such a procedure would result in serious delay to the legislation. The Senate will not meet until tomorrow.
Senator Elbert D. Thomas (D-UT), Senate manager of the legislation, announced he would ask concurrence in House modifications, unless some major conflict between the two versions was disclosed by further study of the House resolution.
The Senate and House resolutions both provide for retention of draftees, National Guardsmen, reservists and enlisted regulars for 18 months beyond their normal service.
$300 million expense
They also include a declaration that the national interest is imperiled and provide for raises of $10 a month for all classes of troops, except commissioned officers, after they have completed their first year of service. This would add $300 million a year to the training program expense. The existing limitation of 900,000 upon the number of draftees who may be in training at one time is lifted.
The House vote on the legislation was the closest any major administration measure has experienced since the outbreak of the European conflict.
After the roll call was first announced, Speaker Sam Rayburn ordered a recapitulation. The recount showed the same rally and, while bipartisan opponents roared their objections, Mr. Rayburn declared the measure approved.
Galleries crowded
Although the administration had anticipated a close vote, they were startled by the final outcome. They had been led to expect a wider margin when they mustered a 215–190 vote against a recommittal motion a few moments earlier.
The galleries were more crowded than they have been since the momentous debate on the Lend-Lease Act. Spectators, including a large number of men in service uniforms, heard administration leaders warn that the crisis in United States diplomatic relations with the French Vichy government and Japan emphasized the need for retaining the troops.
Majority Leader John W. McCormack (D-MA) warned:
Time has passed. Our enemies have moved. We know that Japan is moving and that Vichy is failing into German hands.
The 182 Democrats who voted for passage were joined by 21 Republicans. Opposed were 133 Republicans, 65 Democrats, three Progressives and one American Labor Party member.
Change in terms
House modifications of the legislation included a provision requiring the Secretary of War to discharge draftees for whom continued service would create a hardship, unless their dismissal would adversely affect national defense. The Senate resolution made the discharge discretionary.
The House failed to make the provision for dismissal of selectees who have passed their 28th birthday, as the Senate did. House leaders explained this matter was covered in other legislation.
The House also added a provision which would permit draftees to deduct the 18 months’ extended service from their 10-year terms as Army reserves. Another amendment would revise the National Guard Act to provide for retention of those troops under the resolution.
Accept defeat
Last-minute Republican efforts to obtain reconsideration of the vote by which the House passed the legislation were overruled by Mr. Rayburn. The Speaker was forced to pound his gavel repeatedly for order when Republicans shouted from the floor that his ruling was not valid. He was upheld by the parliamentarian.
Chairman Andrew J. May (D-KY) of the House Military Affairs Committee, who had managed the legislation, made the House action conclusive when he made the routine motion that the House resolution be substituted for the body of the Senate legislation. Republicans demanded a roll call, but reconsidered their action and accepted defeat.
The House rejected a proposal by Rep. James Van Zandt (R-PA) to double reenlistment bonuses for regular Army men.
All attempts to lower the extension provision of the bill below 18 months were beaten down, as were other opposition motions.
Strength indicated
Administration strength was indicated in the first test which resulted in a 185–146 vote against a proposal by Rep. Dewey Short (R-MO) to strike out the declaration that the national interest was imperiled. Another amendment by Mr. Short to exempt selectees from the service extension was defeated 185–146. These proposals had been the spearhead of opposition to the administration plan.
The opposition then sought to restrict the extended service to 12 months but were defeated 176–117. The House also rejected a proposal by Rep. Carl Hinshaw (R-CA) to limit the extension to six months. The vote was 97–61.
A proposal by Rep. Thomas H. Eliot (D-MA) providing that the 600,000 selectees already in service be discharged at the rate of 50,000 a month beginning next January was shouted down.
Wage raise voted
Rep. Arthur D. Healey (D-MA) offered the amendment providing the $10 wage boost for Army men and it was first rejected on a standing vote. Proponents then demanded a teller vote and it was adopted, 131–84.
The debate broke across party lines, as did the voting. Rep. Bertrand J. Gearhart (R-CA) warned his colleagues that:
You’ll regret to the end of your live a vote against this bill.
He asserted that the Vichy government would make France a “Nazi puppet state” and give Germany a path through Spain, French Africa and Dakar to the Western Hemisphere.
Rep. James W. Wadsworth (R-NY), co-author of the original Selective Service Act, said failure to extend the service of Army men would break up the “teamwork” they had perfected by months of training.
‘Breath of faith’
Rep. Walter G. Andrews (R-NY), ranking minority member of the Military Affairs Committee, asserted that:
The Nazis are literally raising hell in South America.
Mr. Short and other non-interventionists said that the service extension would constitute a “breach of faith” with the men who had been ordered to duty for shorter terms of service.
Rep. Roy O. Woodruff (R-MI) said President Roosevelt already had authority to retain selectees for an additional year, but sought the extension legislation to place on Congress the responsibility of holding the citizen-soldiers in service.