Evening star., 1939-09-09
Defense
Continued From First PageD

the present Army enlistment drive
accelerated
2. Less pressure will be exerted to
expand the National Guard beyond
its present strength of about 10000
men and about $4,000 officers, as it is
a second-line force.
3. The Navy must add the largest
number 10000, beyond increases for
| which Congress provided funds. but
many of these can be taken quickly
| from a waiting list of more than TO-
900 applicants and as volunteers
from the Naval Reserve Of Al ,985
men and l4060 officers.
4. The Marine Corps similarly has
a reserve of 14,600 men and lips
officers from which to draw to in
crease its active strength by about
5000.
The Army, too, may draw from its
reserve of 5000 officers and 1913 900
men.
To forestall delays, all the serv-
ices are expected to be less strict in
their requirements The Navy al
lCdQN lldS llllS Va It'd
top age limit. for first enlistments
of six years from 25 to 81. Former
sailors out of the Navy for less than
eight years will be accepted at their
old ratings. Other qualified ex-
service men will be accepted up to
/ 35.
In addition to ordering the in
crease in military manpoWer, the
President yesterday issued series
of executive orders designed to pro-
vide S50O000 to help Americans in
Europe get home and add $50 men
to the Federal Bureau of Investiga-
ton to combat espionage, sabotage
and subversive activities.
The President explained that the
extra budgetary expenditures for
defense and for returning Ameri-
| cans to this country would be met
from existing appropriations and
that Congress would be asked to
make additional appropriations for
the deficiencies thus created.
Mr.. Roosevelt emphasized that
the additions to the armed forces
would leave them substantially be-
low full authorized peacetime
strength. He said the increases
were designed to fill up existing
/ gaps.
On Peace, Not War, Basis.
The Nation, the President said
emphatically, would be on peace
| and not a war basis. Justice De-
partment authorities said the Chief
Executive had issued the proclama-
ton of limited national emergency
on the basis of constitutional powers.
The original executive orders un-
der the proclamation could be sup
plemented from time to time, but
there were indications that those is
sued were all Mr.. Roosevelt had in
mind for the present.
The President left yesterday for a
week end at his Hyde Park IN. "
home. He intended to keep in close
touch with the European situation
and with the steps taken to carry
out this country's neutrality policy
AS to a special congressional ses-
sion to revamp the neutrality law
the President reiterated to his press
conference yesterday that session
would be called, but that he did not
know when.
Some informed persons predicted
Congress would meet between Octo-
ber l and Is, but added that the
date would be fixed only after the
President had completed a series OF
conversations with congressional
leaders in both parties.
The President said he saw little
legislation other than neutrality
which need be considered at spe'
cial session. He has been represent.
ed as anxious to make the specia
session as brief as possible, and tt
have the agenda limited to repeal o.
the existing arms embargo.
The embargo, invoked by Mr.
Roosevelt this week, prohibits thu
shipment of arms, ammunition anc
implements of war to belligerents
Proponents of repeal have arguee
that Great Britain and France
, which presumably would control th'
Atlantic sea lanes, would benefit i
they had access to this Nation,
armament markets.
Mr.. Roosevelt told reporters h
had heard of no proposals for anti
profiteering legislation. or TO
; changing the johnson Act prohibit
ing all but normal commercial cred
its to nations in default on Worl'
War debts.
e The Bureau of Labor Statistics
|, meanwhile, estimated that the cur
Y rent war boom reflected In risin
a prices would have little effect imme
j diately on employment, although
4 man-hours of work might be IN
j creased.
Bureau experts thought ther
l. would be some employment gains il
4 the steel and cotton industries, bu
said definite figures on possible in
creases would not be available unit
= another week. w. P. A. officials sal
l they were prepared with a flexibl
{ works program to take care OF an
= changes in the labor market.