Evening star., 1940-08-13
Conscription
Compared 10
Maginot Line
Wheeler Says Need
Is Quality Of Training,
Not Numbers of Men
BY ROBERT BRUSKIN.


Conscription was compared today
by Senator Wheeler, Democrat. of
Montana. to Maginot Line which
would prove expensive but futile
against a small trained army of
mechanics.
THE American people do not wish
to find they have been sold a back
breaking load of so-called insurance
which is not worth the paper it's
written on" Senator Wheeler de-
clared in the third day of debate on
the Burke -Wadsworth compulsory
military training bill.
He disputed the argument of Sem
ator Burke, Democrat. Of Nebraska,
that voluntary enlistments would
not produce sufficient men quickly
enough by declaring that the Army
enlistment quotas had been filled
and the Navy had waiting list.
A small. expertly-trained army of
Firms held off the vast military ma
chine of Russia. he declared, while
the huge conscript army of French
men was quickly crushed, chiefly
through lack of coordination be-
cause of its huge size and because
of lack of confidence in its leaders.
Don't Need Great Mass of Troops.
I'VE do not need a great massing
of troops on our shores" he de-
clared. I'VE do need an increase
in our armed forces. We need
thoroughly-trained troops, with a
knowledge of modern warfare, we'll
officered.'
Meanwhile Brig. Gen. William E.
Shedd, assistant chief of staff in
charge of personnel, disclosed that
Army plans had been revised be-
cause of the delay in passage of
the National Guard authorization
and the conscription bill.
Appearing before the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee, he declared
the Army's opposition to one-year
voluntary recruiting as inefficient
and disclosed that under revised
schedules it is expected that 100000
National Guardsmen are expected
to be on duty by January /, if the
authorization is approved by the
House.
Senator Burke, co-author of the
conscription bill, declared in OPEN
ing the debate that the arguments
had been reduced to a single issue,
whether voluntary enlistments would
produce sufficient recruits to supply
needed manpower. He maintained
that the voluntary system was too
slow and reminded the Senators
that the delay was preventing action
in stepping up defenses of this
country.
I'VE Don't Want to Wait"
This country does not want to
wait until war comes, if unhappily
it should ever come. before we start
training our citizens" Senator Burke
said. Let no one here deceive him
self into believing that his would be
a happy lot if by his action he
helped to prevent or postpone ade-
quate military training for those
who some day may-God forbid-be
called upon to defend their coun-
try"
Senator Burke named Col. Will
liam j. Donovan, World War officer,
as one who helped in drafting the
bill, and Senator Wheeler asked if
Col. Donovan was not the man who
served as assistant attorney general
under Harry Dougherty Senator
Burke replied he believed this was
true.
This is the same Donovan who
was part and parcel of the frame
up that sent the fellows out to
Montana to get something on me-"
Senator Wheeler shouted, referring
TO his indictment several years ago
on a charge of unlawful accepting
money to influence of oil and
gas prospective permits" Senator
wheeler was defended by the late
Senator Tom Walsh of Montana.
who later became Attorney General,
and was acquitted after brief trial.
Senator Burke said he had COM
plete confidence in the moral integ-
rlty" OF Col. Donovan, who recently
made trip to England for Secretary
OF the Navy Knox, and that he be-
heved that Col Donovan played
tsee CONsCRIPTIoN, Page A-30