WASHINGTON--The nation today stepped up the tempo of preparations for the first peacetime draft of manpower in American history.

The House approved and sent to the Senate legislation appropriating $338,000,000 for housing conscript troops. The army sped production of forms for registration of conscripts and selection of officers to guide their training. Other developments included:

1. Senate and House Military Affairs Committees approved legislation authorizing states to create home defense units that would supplant National Guard units mobilized into active service.

2. The War Department announced that two more increments of Guardsmen totaling nearly 37,000 would be called to the colors in November, bringing the total number of miltiamen mobilized this year to 133,200.

3. The Census Bureau announced that, on the basis of the latest figures available, 16,404,000 men from 21 to 35 will be required to register for the draft October 16.