Evening star., 1940-09-17
j. ). Future Critical,
Marshall Declares,
Calling More Guards
Military Danger Seen
Within Next Six Months
By Chief Of Stuff

Warned by Gen. George c. Mar
shall Army Chief of Staff, that the
United States faces a prospect of
military danger which ''trembles on
the verge of becoming proba-
bility," a second increment of 35,-
TOO National Guardsmen today be-
gan preparations to sever connec-
tions with civil life for year be-
ginning October Is, when they will
follow into Federal service 6O.500
Guardsmen who were inducted into
Federal service yesterday.
Gen. Marshall, in a radio address
last night, announced the units
composing the second increment Of
the Guard designated for mobiliza-
ton. The District National Guard
was not included among the units
summoned, but is expected to be in
service before the end of the year
Mustering-in procedure for the
first 60,500 yesterday indicated, ac-
cording to unofficial reports. that
designations because of dependents
or for other reasons would not de-
plete the strength of units to an
important degree.
designations Are Few.
The average number Of reSigna-
tons or discharges reported, it was
said today, was less than 10 per
cent, with a minimum of one-half
of l per cent claimed in Idaho and
a maximum of 20 per cent reported
In a few cases. In several States,
Guard officers told the Associated
Press, new enlistments had more
than equaled losses, boosting the
strength of units beyond regulation
levels. Some areas reported that
enlistments were expected to fill
gaps caused by designations within
the next few days, and in a few
places units had waiting lists.
Among the designations, several
sional men, particularly doctors and
dentists Some resigned because they
were the only practitioners in their
home districts.
What loss of men might result
from physical disqualifications was
not indicated by results of the first
day. The examinations did not
start until induction had been COM
pleted and will continue for the next
few days. Officers of units which
participated in recent war games
pointed to the fact that the mems
physical fitness had been passed
upon prior to maneuverS and said
they did not anticipate many losses.
The entire National Guard
strength of Hawaii and Puerto Rico
was called as well as six groups on
the continent, Gen. Marshall's an
nouncement last night revealed. BY
the end of the year the entire Ma
tional Guard strength is expected
to be serving as a nucleus for train
ing draftees with the Regular Army.
Most Critical Period.
"I wish to emphasize the i'm
portance of these preparations. We
are at peace with every nation in
the world. Nevertheless it Is the
feeling of the War Department that
the next six months include the
possibility of being the most critical
period in the history of this Nation.
Ordinary common sense indicates
that our preparations should be
made accordingly" he said.
Gen. Marshall in making q COM
parison with the last war declared
the situation today Is utterly
different" He said in 1917 we were
at war but saw small possibility Of
military danger" Now, he declared,
such a possibility trembles on the
verge of becoming a probability"
He added that in the last war the
Allies were able to supply our Army
with necessities of war, but now
those sources have been wiped out.
For this reason time is at premi-
UNI and modern arms and equip
ment must be provided by our own
industries-not by the Allies he
pointed out. I'VE must be prepared
to stand alone"
Gen. Marshall called the Con-
scription Act "a great fundamental
stride toward preparation Of this
country to defend itself, to protect
its form Of Government and its COM
pelling interests in the Western
Hemisphere"
The second contingent of the Ma
tional Guard to be called to service
and their training stations follows:
9th Division and 102d Observation
Squadron of New York, Fort Nc