Evening star., 1939-04-30
Care in Selecting Men to Cut
Veteran>Aid Costs of Next War
Stringent Physical Tests Part of Precautions
Planned to Weed Out Military Misfts
In All Branches of Service
By William J. WheatIey.

Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines, admins
traitor of Veteran Affairs, advised the
board of the Importance of having
thorough physical examination OF men
before inductance into the Federal serv-
ice 1t would seem quite likely, he said,
that our initial protective force OF 100000
men, when we'll trained, modernly
equipped and armed, as currently
planned, would, in conjunction with the
Navy, be adequate to defend the conti-
mental United States, Panama and Ha-
waii, during the period that our vast
resources are being mobilized for war.
Perhaps such a period would be SIX
months. II so, he added, there would be
ample time TO select with proper care
whatever number of additional men may
be required for extended military serv-
ice, as arms and equipment are provided
by industry for their use in the field. We
could, he asserted, select our new SOL
diers in an orderly and efficient man
ner, without the dislocation of essential
industries.
This examining and classifying Of
great groups of young civilians. so as
to determine those most eligible for
modern military service, is, in my opin-
ion," he said, lone of the most impor-
tant problems up for solution, in the
formulation of any general national de-
fense program. 1t is not problem
which cannot be solved. On the con-
trary, it can be solved satisfactorily, in
my judgment, if we are willing to take
advantage of the mistakes made during
the World War. In addition to our war
experience. our postwar experience
with disabled veterans has taught us
quite definitely that there are number
of types of men who should not be per-
mitted to join the colors in the event Of
war, but should be rigidly excluded from
the armed forces.
Made Poor Soldiers.
"The history of these special groups
shows that many Of them never made
satisfactory soldiers. They would break
down from various causes and occupy
beds in hospitals, in many instances be-
fore their units were ready for combat
service. This frequently caused a Short
age of beds when the men disabled in
action had to be hospitalized. Since the
war great many thousand of them
have applied for and received benefits
in one form or another from the Gov
ernment. Many of them still are in our
hospitals, others are receiving monetary
benefits in some form, although large
number of them were not taken over
seas and received no injury from their
military service. Their disabilities were
incurred prior to entry into the service,
but these were not detected by the types
of medical examinations given.
"This has added greatly to the cost
of the aftermath of the World War, and
in the light of what we now know is the
kind of cost which will be entirely un-
necessary for us to incur in any future
war.
Medical Specialists Urged.
IT would recommend that in future
emergency, during which it is deemed
necessary to again employ selective serv-
ice, where possible a primary board of
four medical specialists be attached to
each draft board. These should include
a psychiatrist, specialist on internal
medicine, such as lung, heart and kid
neys; an orthopedist and an eye, ear,
nose and throat specialist. Careful in
dividual examinations by members of
such a medical board should weed out
initially large proportion of those men
who should be barred from extended
military service. Those groups concern
ing whom any doubt existed as to their
fitness, if necessary, could be sent to one
of our Government hospitals, where ex-
tended medical examination and obser-
vation could be held.
IF we should follow such methods of
selection We would not only have much
more efficient Army from a military
standpoint, but the cost of claims after
the war would be correspondingly les
sened.'
Where are these men to come from?
BY far, they will come from the youths
of the Nation. Figures compiled for the
Civil War show that there were 2,159, ,789
enlisted men 81 years of age and under.
Above % years there were only 618,511.
Between this and Is years of age there
was sharp drop. 1926 enlisted men
being above the latter age.
According to tentative figures COM
piled by the Selective Service Board,
there are, in round numbers, 1000, 900
men between the ages of Is and 18, but
these largely would be the reservoir for
the Navy, which takes men between
these ages. For the Army the field Is
between 18 and 81, where it is estimated
there are 100000 men, about 2,700, 900
of whom would be fit for military serv-
ice. Beyond this there would be a
sharp drop. For in the scale between 81
and 81 it is estimated there are 10000, 900
men. 100000 of whom would well be
eliminated by physical unfitness, and
about 100000 through having families
and dependents, men whom it is not
desired to take away because they have
undertaken serious responsibilities in
civil life which it is not desired to dis
turb because of the social effect back
of the lines. Above these ages, the strin-
gent physical tests which Gen. Hines
proposes would eliminate the vast ma
jority.