New Draft Law Cuts Withdrawals; Defer Men Now in School--Conant

President Conant called for the deferment of all men now enrolled in colleges and professional schools as he voiced strong approval for the administration's new University Military Service training bill last weekend in Washington.

"If universal military service is accepted as the pattern," Conant told the American Council on Education Friday, "there (should) be written right into the present bill provisions by which selective service will defer all those men who are today enrolled in our colleges, technical schools, and universities."

Rather that interrupt a student's education once in progress. Conant instead proposed that the Administration dip further into the pool of 18-years-olds next year "in the best interests of all our students."

Two Compromises

In supporting the Defense Department's draft bill, Conant explained that he was accepting two compromises in his original U.M.S. proposals. He said he had become convinced that a small fraction of each age group should be sent back to college to become "army specialists."

And he also said that in his original plan that all except those suffering from severe physical handicap should find a place in government service is "for the moment, at least, impracticable." The present bill lowers physical requirements part of the way, he pointed out.