At 7:57 one night last week, after 76 hours of debate, the Senate passed the Burke-Wadsworth Compulsory Military Training Bill, 58 to 31. The Senate had approved peacetime conscription, but the bill provided the biggest burst of fireworks in 1940's Presidential campaign. Morning of the final day, Georgia's smooth-faced Senator Russell popped up with an amendment jointly sponsored by Lousiana's Senator Overton, ardent New Dealer and onetime Huey Long ally: ". . . Whenever the Secretary of War or the Secretary of the Navy determines that any existing manufacturing plant or facility...
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