Evening star., 1940-06-21
American Man Power

defensive competency which will
render it and this continent secure
against the totalitarian aggression
with which we are threatened is
being neglected and postponed. That
factor is man poWer-for the Army,
the Navy and the air force
Other phases of the preparedness
program, in so far as the public can
judge, are being smoothly and eff
ciently initiated. Huge sums are
being appropriated to assure ade-
quate armaments for land, sea and
air. Industrial productivity is being
geared to the tempo which the crisis
demands. Shortages in essential i'm
ports are being remedied. Strategic
vantage points for air and naval
bases have been specified and soon
will be in process of preparation.
All OF these steps, in the light
of the critical world situation which
at long last has become clear to this
Nation, are essential to our security.
They have and will continue to cost
a colossal price in dollars. This price
the Nation has unhesitatingly and
even eagerly declared itself willing
to pay. The danger is that it may
falsely be assumed that peace and
security for us and the other Amer
icas can be purchased by the mere
Saddling of ourselves with added
billions of debt and the speeding up
of our industrial output of munitions.
No greater or more costly error could
be made.
All the ships and tanks and
armored cars and planes and cannon
and nti-aircraft and machine guns,
all the bombs and shells and cart
ridges that we are demanding shall
be swiftly produced for the defense
of this hemisphere and our national
interests will prove worthless in the
final test-unless we have hardened
men, highly skilled in their tactical
employment, to use them.
There is only one swift, sure and
equitable method of obtaining this
man power essential to our safety.
1t was tardily employed in the last
great international crisis with which
we were faced. 1t was then accepted
by the Nation with a unanimity OF
approval which demonstrated that,
as a Nation, we have no disposition to
shirk that responsibility which is
an essential concomitant to cit
izenship-the equal responsibility of
every man to serve in the defense
OF our freedom. The Star is con-
vinced that it would be accepted
in the same spirit today, in this
even graver crisis which confronts
America.
The method is the selective draft.
Under it every male American with
in given bracket of ages (say 10 to
3O) is registered and deemed liable for
call, on the basis of chance, to the
military service of his country. Ex-
emptions because of health or de-
Tendencies or employment in vital
industries are alone recognized. Rich
and poor, employed and unemployed,
black and white, brave or coward
are called as their numbers come up.
There is no other swift, sure and
equitable method-nor any other
method by which this crisis can be
faced. Sooner or later it will have
to be employed. The Star holds that
the sooner the better.
The better in that, with draft in
operation, when those responsible for
our national security need, as they
now need, a hundred thousand or a
half million men, they will get them
without discrimination for or against
any one. The better because, by
starting at once the training of
whatever number is now needed, the
training of larger numbers needed
later will be facilitated and expe-
dited. The better because, with the
necessary man power Of this Nation
adequately trained in arms, tens of
thousands of lives will be saved if
ever they have to face veteran
totalitarian army.
And the best of all because, with
the selective draft system in effect,
this nation will have come again to a
true appreciation Of duties that are
properly and justly interviewer with
the privileges of American citizen
ship, while real notice is served upon
any potential aggressor Of our stead
fast and undismayed determination
vigorously to defend our interests
and our institutions.
Remembering the price paid by
those nations Of Europe who too long
postponed the day of realistic prep
aration for really modernized war
fare-no complacent policy of lais-
seZ-faire can be endured in this vital
matter. That phase of the M-day
program which calls for the distribu-
ton of registration cards for a ma
tional selective draft should be
promptly put into effect.
Decline in Safety
In recent weeks Washington has