Imperial Valley Press

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6—Selective military service proposed in the Burke-Wadsworth bill and denounced variously as "revolutionary" and "a dangerous innovation" is old stuff to the six-man joint army and navy selective service committee.

For years the committee has been devising just such a law, simplifying regulations, studying draft procedure in the United States during the World War and subsequent improvements by other countries. Committee members are officers of the army, navy, marine corps, officers' reserve and national guard.

If congress enacts legislation for compulsory training these men will be the nucleus of the selective service headquarters staff.

THEY WANT
TO KNOW—

Senator Edward Burke of Nebraska, co-author of the selective service bill, has been getting about 1000 letters a day. Business men write that they think compulsory training is a good idea. Mothers of sons between 21 and 31 say they think it's a bad idea.

Men who haven't finished paying for their homes, silos or cars want to know if their installment payments will have to be made if they are called up and get only $21 a month. Men on relief ask if their families will get relief checks if they're drafted.

Government lending agencies haven't formed a definite policy on these matters, which would probably be left to an administrative board of appeals. Farm Security Administration and Federal Housing Administration officials point out that most of their borrowers are men past 31 and not likely to be classified as "available for immediate service."

It seems likely that WPA would continue relief payments to dependents of men called up.

M-DAY
CHANGES

M-Day won't be quite as it was planned, if congress agrees on peace-time military service. For one thing the "civilian effort" will be unnecessary.

Goal of the Protective Mobilization plan was 790,000 recruits in 60 days. The first 60 days after the United States entered the war in 1917, only 290,000 men enlisted. M-Day planners did not expect more enthusiasm from a later generation.

So they were going to couple selective service with the "civilian effort"—specifically, committees of leading citizens in each community who would "promote" recruiting . . . give pep talks to the neighborhood.

This "sell the war" campaign was to get out volunteers during the month or so which would elapse before the selective service machinery could be geared to wartime speed.

According to present plans, a peacetime selective service law would bring more than 790,000 young men for military training by April, 1941.

Embarrassing question: Selective service questionnaires ask elected officials who hold federal, state, municipal and county jobs, "How much of your time is actually devoted to your position?" And in an election year too!